Chrono Cross Survivor
by Daredevil3181
Summary: A contest begins that draws the characters of Chrono Cross together once more, the results of which will have a huge impact on the world. The story takes place roughly 6 months after Serge wakes up on the beach at the end of the game.
1. Beginnings

Note: This story originally started out as interactive fanfic on the Chrono Cross Board on GameFAQs. It was written by four GameFAQs users: Daredevil3181, Alanna82, TenkoStar17, and Matt620. The project began on 12/31/03 and is just now wrapping up, as we are writing the epilogue. The by-line is simply to make it clear which writer wrote which part and you will see it pop up with a bit more frequency later on. We will post more parts of the story as they are edited, so enjoy.

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Chrono Cross Survivor: Beginnings

The universe can be a wonderful and exciting phenomenon. Billions of stars and planets are born each day and can be destroyed just as easily. The mere knowledge of even the smallest secrets of the universe would humble any ordinary mortal. But, for all its complexities and mysteries, the universe could do even the unthinkable to beings that have viewed it from its conception and would live on well past its death. Quite frankly, it made them bored.  
  
A crimson red form streaked across the threshold of the gods' home of Praetoria. Tall, elegant, and with flaming red hair, the goddess of fire and unchecked emotion wore a red garment that was so translucent little of her shape was left to the imagination. When she talked her lips spoke of passion, but hidden just out of reach, was the flaming spear of impetuousness.  
  
"We have a proposal," Pyrika called out to her fellow immortals.  
  
"Do tell," responded Mephos. Being the god of earth and lightning, he preferred to use brute force and physical prowess than to rely on magic. He was rather squat and round, but had limbs that were strong enough to move galaxies and crush entire solar systems. When he talked his teeth crackled with energy and planets shook. He wore a suit of armor that barely contained his mighty form.  
  
"The vastness of space has stagnated lately," Pyrika continued. "Nothing exciting...only constancy...no explosions, nor fire."  
  
"So what is this proposal you speak of?" questioned Scyllor. Rather reserved by the other deities' standards, they sometimes overlooked him. His eyes were so deep, that if one gazed in them long enough, it was akin to drowning. Normally in good spirits, if things turned sour, his breath could freeze even molten rock. He had on a brilliant blue shirt and pants in the regal style, from which trailed a long and impressive cape. This was the god of water and magic.  
  
"Will it be fun?" Ganta chimed in. Small and mischievous, this goddess was notorious for her pranks. She wore a crown of leaves and a sheer gown supported by two vines around her shoulders. As fast and whimsical as the wind, so was her personality. She was the goddess of life and nature.  
  
"Quite fun indeed," replied Pyrika.  
  
"Out with it then, foolish one!" spat Kylin, goddess of darkness and death. She had waist-length raven hair and skin as smooth as alabaster. She wore a robe that reached to the floor, but it did little to hide her lithe form and disproportionately large chest protrusions. It was said her smile, while completely ravishing, could chill the blood of any mortal.  
  
"Patience, Kylin," a voice rang out. "Let Pyrika speak." The voice was soft and melodious, but carried well. It belonged to Pallad, god of light and rebirth. He had bronzed skin and sandy brown hair that he kept short. He wore a simple shirt and pants, but the power he wielded was obvious. A chuckle from his heart could call back even the tiniest of creatures from the darkest planes of existence.  
  
"Yes, well, now that our little crisis has been averted and reality is again stable, we have tended to overlook the players," Pyrika explained.  
  
"Meaning?" prompted Mephos.  
  
"It means that we have been offered a proposal," Pyrika beamed. "A contest."  
  
"Will there be wagers?" asked Scyllor.  
  
"There would be no point otherwise, dolt," snapped Kylin. "Our fiery sister would not tell us otherwise."  
  
"I see," mused Pallad. "What are the conditions?"  
  
"Forty-five mortals, on an island tucked away from the view of others," Pyrika smiled. "They will compete for their heart's desire, just as we will compete against one another with wagers."  
  
"A wish? Oh, I do love the things mortals can envision in their heads!" laughed Ganta.  
  
"An interesting proposal," mused Pallad. "But what about Trutin? The being of all and none must approve this first."  
  
"We do not have to tell Trutin," Pyrika reasoned. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him."  
  
"She might be angry when she finds out," added Mephos.  
  
"This is for us, brother," Scyllor said, placing a hand on his stronger sibling's shoulder. "What could be the harm? We get our entertainment and they get their fun. Everyone wins."  
  
"The possibilities are endless. Trutin might even enjoy our work. He likes to have fun as much as the rest of us," Ganta said, while clapping her hands above her head in a dance of fancy.  
  
"I still think we should obtain approval..." Pallad began, as Kylin cut him off.  
  
"This need not be any of your concern, brother," the goddess said, coolly. "I, for one, would like to see how this plays out. Count me in."  
  
"As do I," Pyrika agreed.  
  
"The puny mortals can have such fervor sometimes," remarked Mephos. "To see it is something else. I assent."  
  
"Just as the waves ebb and flow, so does time," drifted Scyllor. "The time for the contest is upon us. I say 'yes', as well."  
  
"You know my vote," Ganta laughed. "It's 'yes' again and again!"  
  
Pallad looked a little forlorn. "Trutin will not like this," he began. "But I must enter to maintain the balance. She will understand. If not, I can minimize the disruption for her. With great hesitation I will say...let it be so."  
  
"It is settled then," Pyrika said, rubbing her slender hands together. "Gather up the messengers and send out the invitations at once!"

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The fourteen messengers set out for their desired destinations, words of invite in hand. The adventurers had spread out some since disbanding, but most were still centered on one planet. As they neared the planet, four of the fourteen then broke formation, in search of their intended targets. The remaining ten entered through the planet's outer atmosphere and began to seek out their recipients.  
  
One entered the town of Termina and dropped off its six messages.  
  
"Dad, let's get moving!" shouted Karsh, as he tugged on Zappa's sleeves. "This might be a joke, but if it's not we'd be idiots if we passed it up!"  
  
"I know what it says, grandma," Skelly said, holding the old woman close. "But I'll be fine. You can't keep down this pile of bones! Nyak-nyak- nyak!"  
  
"So it has come to pass," the magician, Guile said as he sat in the bar. "Time to show everyone who the master of magic is!"  
  
"I must now leave, Romina," Greco consoled his sobbing wife. "If only for a little bit. I shouldn't take too long, though, mi amor."  
  
Van was busy writing a note, as his father was out on another gallery tour. The message read "Hey Dad, Gone out to compete in this once-in-a-lifetime thing! See you later! Love, Van".  
  
The second messenger made its stop on board the ship of the Magical Dreamers, docked close to Termina. Here it delivered its five invitations.  
  
"Look what I got-hee!" Razzly said, bursting through the dressing room door, while holding up her copy.  
  
Inside the room were Nikki, Miki, Janice, and Sneff. "We all got one too," Nikki replied. "I just cleared our schedule with management. We'll leave at once!"  
  
The third messenger stopped off at Arni to deliver six notices.  
  
"Excuse me, Marge, is Serge around?" asked Radius.  
  
"Yes, he should be out by the docks with Leena," replied the woman.  
  
Radius went outside to find Serge, Leena, and Poshul horsing around in the water. Next to their shoes on the dock were three glittering envelopes.  
  
"Ahem," Radius cleared his throat to get their attention. They all looked back at him as he pointed down at the pile. "I think you might want to have a look at these," he said, as the trio swam closer.  
  
Orcha was just about to leave Arni after stopping to say "hi" to his brother when he felt something materialize in his hand. Before he could examine it Mojoy slammed into him, knocking both to the ground. "WhatCHA do that for?!" cried the cook.  
  
"No time-om to lose," gibbered the straw dummy. "Read what you have-om there and let's get a move-om on!"  
  
Meanwhile, the first of the non-planet-bound messengers reached its target on a nearby spaceship.  
  
"Hey, Starks! This one's for you!" shouted one of the diminutive alien's comrades.  
  
"Let me see that!" Starky said, as he grabbed for the invite. He glanced it once over and then laughed to himself.  
  
"What's so funny?" his partner asked.  
  
"Starky, gooing to haave to taalk in Engliish, again," the alien replied.  
  
Meanwhile, back on Earth, another messenger found its designated trio in Shadow Forest.  
  
"What dost thou be-eth up to?" asked Turnip, as Funguy was chopping wood. "Did-est thou not read the message?"  
  
"Yeah, bud, it's going to be phun!" shouted NeoFio.  
  
"Oh, I read it," replied Funguy, as he stopped to wipe some spores that he had begun to sweat onto his forehead. "I just figured it might be cold by the time we get back, so I might as well stock up on wood now. Just let me finish this up and we'll leave soon." With that he returned back to his wood chopping.  
  
In Viper Manor, the sixth messenger spotted its prey. It departed then, leaving four envelopes.  
  
Glenn and Zoah were training on the grounds, both in a ready stance and anticipating the other's move.  
  
"COME AT ME, LITTLE MAN," boomed Zoah.  
  
"I'm ready when you are," Glenn said, his swords out in front of him. Just then Riddel burst onto the scene.  
  
"Hold everything, you two!" she shouted. "Save your energy for those," she said, as she pointed to the invitations lying next to the fighters. Lord Viper then entered the grounds.  
  
"Did you get one too, Daddy?" the princess asked.  
  
"Yes, I did, my daughter," he replied, as he gazed at Glenn and Zoah. "Quick, back to your rooms, all. We shall begin packing."  
  
The seventh messenger found itself delivering its letter in a place where the very laws of reality seemed to take a nap.  
  
"Wot a proposal!" exclaimed Sprigg, as she was drinking some water. "To see Serge-us and the others again 'twas just what I needed!" Suddenly she spit out a mouthful of water and peered at her glass. "This woter seems to have gone sour!"  
  
Moving back onto Earth again, the eighth messenger peered out over the open waters until it came in contact with the renowned ship S.S. Invincible. Here it dropped off its five invitations.  
  
Fargo was at the wheel of his ship when he received the note. "Aye, better change course then. What fool could pass up a shot to increase his wealth?"  
  
The other four messages reached the hull of Fargo's ship, where he had set up a lab for Luccia to work in out of thanks for her supervision over his daughter all these years.  
  
"Grobyc-can't-wait-to-get-back-to-fighting," said the cyborg. "This- peaceful-life-is-not-for-a-machine."  
  
"Looks like you'll get your vish, brother," Luccia replied. "I for von vill not pass up this opportunity for great research!"  
  
"Like, this could be the greatest thing ever!" added Marcy.  
  
"I'm awways wooking to bwoaden my howizons," Pip said, as he hopped around the lab on his tail in jubilation.  
  
The ninth messenger found its three intendeds on the tip of the Zenan Mainland. They had all decided to band together after their adventure and now worked together as a team.  
  
"Oui, the true hero can finally show everyone his strength!" exclaimed Pierre, as he brandished his sword.  
  
"Don't count on it, Frenchie," countered Norris. "I always come prepared with a few tricks up my sleeve."  
  
"Oi! Would ya list'n to ya! Arguin' and all when ya know the prettiest one has this one in the bag!" laughed Kid as she whipped her long braid around.  
  
The tenth messenger found its unlikely duo flying around the mountains outside of Fossil Valley.  
  
"Not so fast-um, Draggy!" Leah called out. "You are going to make-um Leah sick."  
  
"Silly human," Draggy chuckled. "The soonerrr we get therrre, the soonerrr we can have ourrr fun!"  
  
The eleventh messenger found its target floating around a place of paradoxes. It was neither here nor there. The harlequined woman was not aware of anything around here and seemed to be filled with a dense dose of apathy. The messenger moved its hand in front of her eyes, slowly bringing the light of thought back into them. It then handed the jester the message and disappeared.  
  
"Oh, to be free from zis prison iz all zat I ask," Harle sighed. "Even if it iz only for a short while, I would be tres stupid'te not to accept."  
  
The twelfth messenger found a demi-human sunbathing on the beaches of Marbule.  
  
"To see that son of man once more," Irenes mused. "I will show him how much this mermaid hast trained." As she was gathering up a few of her items, she saw a spiky hedgehog demi-human running out of the village.  
  
"Herr Prot! Where ist you be running off to?" she called out.  
  
"To Guldove! I must get something at once!" he shouted back as he hopped into a boat and immediately started rowing.  
  
The penultimate messenger found its recipient floating around the edges of reality. Try as he might, the feline demi-human could do nothing but watch the events that were transpiring.  
  
"Ahh, I was wondering when mine would arrive," Lynx snarled. "And to think the mail is considered reliable nowadays. Tsk, tsk."  
  
The fourteenth and final messenger made its stop in the small coastal town of Guldove. Here it divested itself of its six letters.  
  
The CHA family was just sitting down to a nice meal when their notices arrived.  
  
"Well, wouldCHA look at that," remarked Korcha.  
  
"Momma, can I come, too?" asked Mel.  
  
"I suppose it would only be fair to you, but dontCHA go running off then," approved Macha.  
  
"Oh great," Korcha groaned. "Things are going to get a whole lot more annoying with Mel around..."  
  
Doc was kicking back a cold one in Orlha's bar when both of them received their invitations.  
  
"This sounds like a challenge," Orlha remarked, as she started to crack her knuckles in anticipation. "You can never have too much training."  
  
"Man, I am soooo there," smiled Doc. "I was getting tired of sampling various medicines around here anyways. Time to really showcase my master mixing skills, dude!"  
  
Steena was just packing her bag after reading the message, when a demi- human ran into her tent in a panic. He ran into a number of walls and was knocking into things left and right before Steena finally was able to calm him down.  
  
"Sorry, to trouble you, mistress Steena," he began. "But my daughter is sick in Marbule. The Sage said you would be able to help me out. Well, can you?"  
  
"I'm sorry, mister..." Steena began.  
  
"Protidan. Or you can call me, Prot. Everyone else does," the demi-human replied.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Prot. I am sorry that I will be unable to help you directly, but please take this," Steena said, handing him a bag of some crushed up powder from off one of her shelves. "Also, be sure to give the Sage and your daughter my blessing. I am confident she will completely recover in due time."  
  
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" exclaimed the hedgehog demi-human as jumped up and down. His actions caused even more items to fall off Steena's shelves and onto various parts of the floor. Finally, he calmed himself and looked around, embarrassed at the mess.  
  
"Don't worry," Steena reassured him. "I will clean it up later. Just go and help your daughter."  
  
"Thank you, Dragon chieftain. I won't forget this!" yelled Prot as he rushed out of the tent and back toward his boat.  
  
Steena then surveyed the mess around her tent and sighed to herself. 'Best to clean it up when I get back then,' she reasoned. With that she tied the strings on her pack tight and decided to read over the invitation one last time, just to make sure she was not missing anything.  
  
"Come one, come all, to the great survivor tournament! Compete against your old friends and foes in a grand contest of skill. The prize will be a wish in the form of your heart's greatest desire to the winner. Please meet by the docks just outside of Porre at one hour after dusk tonight. There will be no excuses if you are late. A ship will be there to pick you up. To a select few survivors who will be unable to make the ship, we will provide you with more suitable transportation to reach the final destination. Don't pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity. Go for it! Outwit. Outlast. Outplay."  
  
Steena looked over the invitation to see whom it was from, but there was no identifiable marker. Finally, she picked up her pack and headed out of the tent. She turned to Samuel, her bodyguard, before leaving.  
  
"I will be gone for a little while," the chieftain said. "I will entrust the protection of Guldove and of the Dragon Artifacts to you while I am gone, Samuel."  
  
"If that is your wish, mistress Steena," Samuel replied. With that he bowed to her and escorted her to a waiting vessel. "Have a good trip, chieftain," he called out as he left the vicinity of the ship.  
  
"Thank you, Samuel. May the Gods be with you," Steena called out. She then settled into an empty seat on the boat. 'However this contest turns out,' she thought to herself, 'it shall definitely be an interesting one'. The boat then lurched forward and began its trip to the outskirts of the mainland.

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As dusk overtook the Zenan mainland, forty people lined the docks outside of Porre. After much exchanging of "hellos" and general pleasantries, everyone decided to relax for a little, as they waited for their transportation to arrive. All except one extremely tardy individual.  
  
"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" Janice shouted to herself, as she rowed her little canoe with feverish strokes. She had arrived on the Magical Dreamers' ship to Porre in the early afternoon. Having never been to the Zenan mainland before, she wanted to do a little exploring. She had seen so many wondrous things and talked to so many interesting people that she had lost track of time. Which brought her to her present predicament.  
  
She pumped her slender arms even faster, as the sky grew darker by the second. Her little boat shot across the water, making an impressive wake. Some fellow demi-humans waved to the rabbit-girl and attempted to engage her in conversation.  
  
"Sorry, no time to say 'hello'," Janice apologized. "Or even 'goodbye' for that matter. This could be the most important date of my life! I'm late! Gotta go! Bye!"  
  
When Janice finally arrived at the docks, she was relieved to find everyone still waiting for the vessel that would bring them to the next stage of their journey. She grabbed her bags out of the canoe and hopped onto the pier. Not even bothering to tie up her boat, she raced down to the end, only to collide with a diminutive figure.  
  
"Ooooow," said the little blue alien as he rubbed his arms. "Why did youu run intoo, Starky?"  
  
"I'm so sorry," Janice apologized, as she helped Starky to his feet. "I was in such a rush not to be left behind that I didn't even see you down there." She then picked him up and gave him a great big hug. "It's so great to see you again. How have you been?"  
  
"Starky haas been fine," he answered. "Starky's creew was busy explooring new worlds when Starky got thee invitation. Starky used waarp speed to get heere on tiime."  
  
"You find anything interesting?" Janice prodded.  
  
"Starky foound out that Starky needs moore practice with waarp drives," the alien laughed. "A feew planets are noow missing moons."  
  
Not knowing whether to take the alien's comment as serious or not, Janice just shrugged her shoulders and decided it was best not to ask. The two then walked down to where the other adventurers were situated. It was like seeing an entire menagerie of memories come to life again, Janice thought to herself. The only person missing from their quest was Sprigg, but Janice figured the old woman probably fell underneath that 'others' category the invitation mentioned.  
  
"So, bunny and glide finally made it over here," sneered Glenn, as the duo approached. "You probably learned a lot traveling with the Magical Dreamers, but too bad punctuality wasn't one of them."  
  
"Shut your trap!" Janice countered. "At least I'm not the one who stabbed himself in the cheek the first time he picked up a sword!"  
  
"You better be wary of my skill, Janice," Glenn replied. "You never know which side of the hilt you may find yourself." He then began to walk away. Janice began to follow, but she felt a gentle hand upon her shoulder.  
  
"Let him go," Radius said, in a calm tone. "He's been under a lot of pressure lately. With talks of other nations setting their sights on El Nido's element resources, he has been working doubly hard at making sure the men are in excellent physical shape to stave off an invasion. Come, I know there are others who would be quite happy to see you again."  
  
Janice, Radius, and Starky then headed over to the main group. She was happy to learn that Nikki and Miki had recently become an item and that Riddel would soon be throwing a lavish ball at Viper Manor. Marcy had taken a temporary leave from the Devas and Glenn, Karsh, and Zoah were screening replacements for her spot. Finally, she chuckled when she heard about the unlikely trio of Pierre, Norris, and Kid creating havoc on the mainland, calling themselves the "Heart Stoppers".  
  
As everyone walked about and got reacquainted with one another, they also began to grow more and more anxious as to when their transportation would arrive. No one was even sure as to what form their transportation might take. Most thought it would be a boat, others believed it would be a submarine, and a select few were under the impression it would be an airplane. Marcy even piped in "Like, maybe it's a car" to which everyone just stared at her. "Like, a car that drives underwater, I meant," she said sheepishly, before slinking off into a corner.  
  
Fog slowly began to creep up along the docks, leaving only faint outlines visible. Just when people started to reach the limit of their patience with the growing tension, a single, loud blast of a horn snapped them back to attention. Their transportation had arrived.  
  
The ship slowly crept up to the loading area and people couldn't help but stare at it with their mouths hanging open. It was a huge black boat in the style of a luxurious cruise liner. There was a towering smokestack erupting out of its top and portholes as far as the eye could see. On the hull of the ship, in big white letters, was the name "S.S. Deerro". It finished pulling into the now-cramped dock and the gangplank lowered.  
  
The adventurers all scrambled to grab their bags and lined up to enter into the main body of the ship. There was a little turnstile device at the top of the gangplank that wouldn't budge. After much pushing and prodding, Fargo finally noticed a little slot about midway up the shaft of the device. Figuring he had nothing to lose, he inserted his invitation into the hole. The turnstile fired open and, as soon as he was inside the ship, closed just as quickly. The other contestants then got the hint and before long, the ship was forty-two persons heavier.  
  
Everyone immediately began wandering around the interior. It was spacious and elegant, while at the same time not feeling too superfluous. They also found forty-two cabins, each with a different person's name on the door. As grand as the ship was, no one could find a captain or anyone else to talk to, though.  
  
"Welcome," boomed a voice inside the hull. Everyone looked around frantically, but could not discern its source.  
  
"You might be wondering why this vessel is not manned," the voice continued. "That's because I do not require a crew. I am quite capable of steering myself." Funguy whistled to himself, but due to how silent everyone had become, it carried like a thunderclap. "Sorry," he whispered to the other passengers.  
  
"As I was saying," continued the Deerro, "I am a fully self-sufficient ship. I will begin the journey shortly. Our final destination is the small island of Perfidia. None of you have heard of this place before, as it is kept secluded with great effort. We should arrive there at approximately two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Dinner will be served at nine, breakfast at eight, and a light lunch at noon. All of your meals will be located in the main dining room, which can be found on my third level. I hope you all have a pleasant trip. You will not hear from me again until we reach our destination." With that the ship ceased talking and left the adventurers stunned in silence. Finally, a few people began whispering among themselves. The noise gradually grew louder and louder until the jovial banter once again resumed.  
  
The full moon shone with a magnificent brilliance as the adventurers began to get themselves ready for bed. Dinner had been a wonderful feast that materialized in front of their eyes exactly at nine. The ensuing mess then dematerialized as soon as the last person left the table. After everyone said their "goodnights" the ship became very quiet, except for a few party members, who found themselves unable to sleep.  
  
Kid and Serge were out taking a little walk around the top of the ship, while Guile and Steena were having a polite conversation among themselves. Doc was just sitting back in a chair and smoking some herbal mixture, staring out at the stars with a glassy look in his eyes. The evening sky was enchanting and was filled with hundreds of luminous constellations.  
  
"Just look at those two," Guile remarked, pointing over toward Serge and Kid. "If it wasn't for Leena they would have definitely become involved with one another."  
  
"Yes, she does love him and he, her," agreed Steena. "But I do not believe it to be the love of romantic daydreamers. It seems to be a relationship forged out of mutual respect and trust. Can you blame them after all they have experienced?"  
  
"No, I suppose I can't," assented Guile. "Does any of this contest talk give you the jitters, though?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Steena asked.  
  
"I mean, the mysterious invitations, the offer of a wish, and the fact that we know nothing of what this challenge will entail? Who set this up for us and why?" Guile said, raising several queries at once.  
  
"I would not worry about such things," answered Steena. "I am sure all will be revealed in due time. For now, simply allow yourself to enjoy the moment. You should be more like Doc," she continued, pointing at the physician. "He never seems too tense in any situation."  
  
"More...like...Doc..." mused Guile. "Yes, I can see merit to your point. Perhaps I will approach him later and ask about some stress-relieving exercises. For now, though, let us just enjoy the beauty of this wondrous night."  
  
As the pair's eyes scanned the horizon, they could not help but be drawn back to the image of the full moon. Again and again, they attempted to move their field of vision to another celestial body, but found themselves always returning to the same spot. Suddenly, a bright flash of light emanated from the sky and, just for one second, everything was lit up as bright as day.  
  
"What was that, chieftain?" asked Guile, shocked.  
  
"I do not know," Steena replied. "But I do know that we should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us and I, for one, will need my beauty sleep."  
  
"But chieftain, you are already quite ravishing," laughed Guile, winking his eye at her from beneath the silver mask.  
  
"Oh, Guile, you are such a flirt," chuckled Steena. "I am off to bed, so I shall see you in the morning." With that the shaman quickly gave the magician a quick peck on the cheek and then headed toward her cabin. Blushing slightly, Guile approached the still-staring Doc. "I understand you are the master of relaxation..." he began.  
  
Steena made the walk back to her cabin and as soon as she was inside her room, collapsed onto her bed. The sheets were pure silk and felt so inviting. Fighting the urge to fall asleep right then and there, she forced herself to get up and put on her nightgown. As she was reaching around in her pack for a brush, her hand hit something familiar, but entirely out of place. She brought the object up to her face and examined it with a pained expression.  
  
"This should not be here!" she exclaimed. "But why would it be in my pack? I could have sworn I secured it on one of my shelves back in Guldove..." Suddenly her eyes lit up with realization.  
  
"That clumsy demi-human!" she said, the reality of the situation dawning on her. "He must have knocked it into my pack with all of his hopping around before I left! This is much too powerful of an item to be on this trip with me. However, since it is already with me, I must make sure it remains hidden. The worst thing it could do would be to fall into the wrong hands." With that, Steena shoved the shining artifact into the bottom of her pack and turned her light off, while attempting to push her worries toward the back of her mind.

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"We have arrived," announced the booming voice of Deerro, as the sight of dry land welcomed the eager contestants. "Please gather up your belongings and make sure you have everything you brought with you. Once you forget something within my bowels, I can assure you that it will never be seen again. Make sure to meet at the totem by sunset. Everything will be explained there. The gangplank will be lowered in ten minutes. Be ready."  
  
The adventurers ran about the ship in a mad frenzy to get all their gear together. They then formed a line right where the gangplank would descend. Just when they thought they couldn't take the suspense any longer, the portal opened, greeting them with an enchanting sight.  
  
The island wasn't a form of the afterlife, but right then and there some of the contestants could have sworn they had died and gone to Heaven. Perfidia was a lush, tropical paradise, filled with dense forests, mountains, and clear water around every corner. Everyone made their way toward the center of the island, where they came upon a campsite, complete with spacious tents, an eating area, and general odds and ends required for normal daily life.  
  
Just as everyone was examining their new home, a familiar voice cut through the crowd.  
  
"Hail, Serge-us," called out the tiny woman. "I wos wondering when the ship t'would get here." Sprigg was then immediately embraced by some of the other adventurers and asked how things had been going. She remarked everything was well and had actually been transported within a beam of light from her home in the Temporal Vortex to the island.  
  
"Do not forget moi," piped another familiar voice. Harle briefly shimmered before becoming solid high above in a tree. She then did a little pirouette and gracefully jumped down to the ground. "Vous cannot 'ave ze fun wit'out, 'arle, non?"  
  
"But Harle, I thought you were dead," said General Viper. "Were you not a part of the Dragon Gods?"  
  
"I was separated from zat creature before ze death," Harle explained. "Flung to ze coldest reaches of space, zere I drifted for some time. Finally, a messenger woke moi up and told me about zis contest. 'ow could I refuse?"  
  
"And if she was allowed to come, so was I," snarled a feral voice. Lynx approached the group, still as haughty as ever. "I could care less if I never saw any of you insolent whelps again, but I had to come for this opportunity. The potential of the situation is simply too great to decline."  
  
"I am keeping my eye on you, traitorous one," warned Radius. "The moment I catch you stabbing someone behind the back again..."  
  
"You need not worry about that, old man. Those days of sneaking around are long past me." Lynx smiled at this last statement. No one believed him for a second.  
  
"So what's this about a totem?" asked Nikki.  
  
"Fine, come with me," Lynx sighed. "I know none of you could find your way out of a paper bag with a map. I will show you the way." He then took off and began walking. Reluctantly, the adventurers followed the feline demi- human, especially wary for any traps. After none came within the first quarter of a mile, everyone began to relax a little more and hurried to catch up with Lynx's long strides.  
  
There could be no question that the totem Deerro had referred to was the one the adventurers now stood in front of. It stood at least twenty feet high and had markings all over it. There were heads of various animals engraved upon it, all of different colors. Some of the contestants began to grow a little uneasy around this monolith, but knew that they had been instructed to meet it regardless. Finally, the sun set beneath the horizon and the silence was broken.  
  
"Greetings, mortals," the head on the top of the totem spoke. Everyone took a little hop back, not expecting the object to speak. The head was that of a yellow hippopotamus and the voice that came out of it was filled with strength and power. "I would like to welcome you all to the island of Perfidia. This will be your home for the next two months, so learn to love it. It is here that your tournament will begin."  
  
"The tournament rules are quite simple," continued the totem, as the voice now shifted down to the next head. This one was of a red salamander and spoke with fire and passion. "You must outlast those around you. The object of the game is to be the last one left on this island when the contest comes to a close."  
  
"However you do that is entirely up to you," said the totem, the voice now belonging to a green squirrel. This voice was whimsical and seemed to play tricks upon the ears. "The choices are endless. Let no strategy seem too ludicrous for this terrain."  
  
"Be careful not to rush too quick into things," warned the blue head, which was in the shape of a giant fish. Its voice was soothing and enthralled its listeners. "Alliances and treaties will be the key to winning your game. You can stand stronger when united than as a chaotic melee."  
  
"Do not shy from the consequences of this game," spoke a black raven. Its voice was clipped and sent chills down everyone's spines. "Those that are too timid to take whatever action is necessary will not go far."  
  
"But above all else, try to enjoy the time that you are here," pleaded a white goat. The voice it spoke with was simple, yet forgiving. "Only take action when necessary and consider the future. The ends do not always justify the means. With that being said, we shall now leave you to your game. You will not hear from us again until the conclusion of this tournament. With that being said, the game begins...now."  
  
After having spoken its final word, the totem vanished into thin air. Everyone looked around each other, rather daunted at what they had gotten themselves into. Finally, someone cut through the tension.  
  
"Dude, I wonder what this would be like," Doc mused, as he pulled out a weed growing next to his shoe.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"So it shall begin," said Mephos, as he reclined back on his chair in the gods' home of Praetoria.  
  
"When will the wagers start?" asked Ganta, almost tripping over her own words in excitement.  
  
"I would think we should place them now," Scyllor replied. "This first result should be an interesting one indeed."  
  
"Why not open up a portal for continual viewing, sister?" snapped Kylin, already annoyed with the banter between her siblings.  
  
"I promised I would not do that when I agreed to the proposal," explained Pyrika. "And unlike some, I do not go back on my word. Besides, it makes sense. This way we will not be influenced by the actions of the competitors. We must base our wagers solely on our own intuitiveness."  
  
"Also, we have arranged it so that no further harm befalls the contestants," said Pallad. "It shall truly be a test of each of their mental fortitude."  
  
"You concern yourself too much with the well-being of these mortals, brother," commented Kylin. "At least you consented to allow the items they carried with them retain their physical properties. Otherwise this would be a waste of time for everyone involved."  
  
"Compassion for the weak is not a fault, dear sister," countered Pallad. "After all these years you have still not grasped that concept. No matter. In two months hence, our champion will be crowned and his or her wish granted. Whatever the outcome, I hope it will be one in which Trutin approves. May all the adventurers carry the blessing of the gods and I wish them success in their endeavors."  
  
Pyrika then closed the portal to the island's dimension and made her starting wager.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	2. Tournament Starts, Rounds 1 through 7

Note: I will now explain the format that was used for these stories. All 45 playable characters of Chrono Cross were included and GameFAQs users were to vote on one character to save and one character to kill (hence the S and K next to each name at the top of the round listing). Characters that were saved did the killing and received immunity into the next round and ties in votes resulted in multiple characters being killed or receiving immunity. Keep in mind these voting results were the interactive part of the story and the other writers and myself had a definite plot in mind the whole time. The author of each round is listed in bold underneath. Also, Rounds 1-4 were originally taken care of by someone else who did not write stories like this, so we had to rewrite them right before our finale (meaning in actuality Round 5 was the very first round every written by the writing team). Thanks to I AM SERGE from GameFAQs for helping us edit these.

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Round 1 - Glenn (S), Korcha (K), Mojoy (K)  
  
Deep within the dense green forest, a broad river carved a meandering line through the vegetation. A clearing, the result of a mudslide from heavy rains, sat at the edge of the river. The calm, wide river's murky brown water was like a dirty mirror until ripples radiated from a clump of mud that flew from the shore. There, two fighters were battling it out. One had a red mohawk, wore summer clothes, and wielded a fishing pole. The other sported candle headgear, had a straw body, and had his dukes up.  
  
"That's nice work, Mojoy, but I'm too fast for that!" said the one with the mohawk.  
  
"Boogum! I will have to try-um harder, then. Here I come, Korcha!" Mojoy charged at Korcha with his arms waving frantically in the air. He swung them at Korcha's torso, but the Guldovian saw it coming and easily dodged it. Mojoy's momentum caused him to stumble a bit, and Korcha took full advantage of it. He aimed for Mojoy's head with his free hand. The straw doll leaned back until his giant nail touched the ground, evading the attack with much more ease than Korcha.  
  
"You may be-om good at evading attacks, but no one can coompare-om to me in that category!" Mojoy proudly proclaimed.  
  
Korcha quickly back-stepped, brought the fishing pole back, and swung his arm forward, releasing the line at a wide arc. Mojoy could not escape this time, and the fishing line wrapped itself around the straw good-luck charm, constricting the movement of his arms.  
  
"I have other ways to catch people! I'm gonna getCHA now!" The redhead rushed toward Mojoy and hit him hard in the chest with the pole, knocking him awkwardly on his side. Korcha leaned over the helpless Mojoy and pointed his pole at his throat.  
  
"Ha! Looks like I win, Mojoy!" Korcha gleamed.  
  
Unexpectedly, a sword impaled itself into the mud less than an inch from Mojoy's body. The fishing lines around Mojoy fell limp to the ground.  
  
"What?! Who's there?! Show yourself!" Korcha demanded.  
  
"Leave that person alone, rogue!" A green blur emerged from the camouflaging undergrowth and shoved Korcha back. He stooped next to Mojoy and helped him to his feet. "Are you alright, sir?"  
  
"Um, yeah, I'm okay-om, Glenn," Mojoy replied as he wiped the mud from his straw.  
  
"Then step aside as I handle this knave." Glenn picked up his sword, unsheathed his other one, looked back at the stunned Guldovian, and charged.  
  
Korcha stepped back and brought his hands up defensively. "W-wait! It's not whatCHA think!"  
  
The dragoon paid no heed to his pleas to reason. He raised his first Einlanzer high above his head while holding the other in front of his face as protection from any blows from below. Korcha desperately blocked the sword with his fishing pole. It saved his life but left him defenseless, as his pole was turned into splinters upon impact with the legendary sword. Left with no choice, Korcha decided the only chance for survival would be to fight back. He heedlessly ran up to Glenn with his fist pulled back and face determined. His face instantly changed into a shocked, painful expression, and his eyes rolled back until only his whites showed. Korcha fell to the mud dead, his chest impaled by the dragoon's Einlanzer.  
  
Glenn withdrew his sword from the body and sheathed both swords without a word.  
  
"No!! Why did-om you do that foor?! Why did you kill him?!" Mojoy angrily shouted at Glenn while frantically running toward his slain friend. "Right through the chest..." He whispered as he subconsciously touched the nail lanced through his own chest.  
  
"Friend? He was about to kill you! What kind of friend does that?!" Glenn was taken aback. This was the last thing he expected the straw doll to say.  
  
Mojoy got up and stepped toward the dragoon, confronting him. "He was my friend. We weren't really fighting-om; it was only training. We were excited about the start of the coontest, so we decided that it would-om be best for us to start practicing."  
  
"Oh, I didn't know...I'm sorry." Glenn looked down at the mud on his boots.  
  
The flames spouting from the candles on Mojoy's head burst into a red blaze. "You're soorry? I don't believe-om you! You don't look sincere at all!"  
  
"How dare you!" Glenn was insulted.  
  
"You are much too rash. You do not think-om before you act; you slash and gash-om before knoowing the entire situation! And I think you secretly enjoyed killing-om the booy, didn't you? You took pleasure in taking his life."  
  
"Of course I didn't! That's preposterous!" Glenn refuted the accusations, growing angrier by the second.  
  
"Glenn, you really need-om to learn to loove, and I will teach you hoow!" Mojoy spun himself into a cartwheel and rolled into Glenn, knocking him into a muddy puddle. The dragoon quickly picked himself up and drew his swords.  
  
"Don't make me laugh! You, a straw doll, are attacking me, a trained dragoon with two Einlanzers? You don't stand a chance!" Glenn scoffed at Mojoy's aggression.  
  
"I sense-om bad luck for yoou!" Mojoy countered as he leaned back onto his nail and spun horizontally, aiming his kicks at Glenn, who extended his sword out in anticipation of the attack. The Einlanzer struck against the bottom of Mojoy's straw legs, cleanly slicing about six inches off each leg. The straw doll righted himself on his stumps, a little shorter, but still in the fight.  
  
Glenn stepped back in case Mojoy counterattacked and tried something different. Suddenly, the air around Mojoy spontaneously combusted, wrapping the straw doll in flames. 'That thing is made of straw so it should be weak to fire,' Glenn reasoned. Things didn't turn out as planned when the flames died down, revealing the straw doll still standing, albeit a little smoky. 'Curious opponent...'  
  
Returning to more conventional attacks, Glenn continuously swung his blades, hacking off bits and pieces of Mojoy, until there was only a torso and a head laying on the ground. Instead of striking with the Einlanzer, he opted for a different approach. He grabbed onto the nail imbedded in Mojoy's chest and pulled. Mojoy could do nothing but look into Glenn's eyes with horror as the nail was completely removed. In the gaping hole in his chest, a shining light was emitted, lighting up Glenn's face. He stepped back, holding his arm in front of his face to shield the light from his eyes. Glenn watched as flames emerged from the shining hole and immediately spread all over the dry straw body, like he was kindling.  
  
"Bad luck for yoou..." were the last words of Mojoy, the good-luck charm.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean? Is it some sort of omen?" Glenn pondered the words as he walked back to camp. "I have no need for such worries! No one can beat me! I have this contest in the bag!"  
  
As Glenn entered the camp, he bumped into Marcy, who was in a rush. "Watch where you are going, brat!" He snapped.  
  
"Humph! I have no time to, like, deal with you! I have to get some healing herbs," Marcy said as she stomped past the fuming dragoon.  
  
"Healing herbs? What for?" Glenn called to Marcy.  
  
"Like, it's for Poshul. She has fleas," Marcy replied as she left the camp and entered the jungle.  
  
"Fleas, huh? I will make sure to stay away from her, then," Glenn noted while walking into his tent, his head held high. "Anyone else, though, I will gladly take on!"  
  
**By: TenkoStar17**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 2 - Draggy (S), Grobyc (S), Harle (S), Irenes (S), Janice (S), Marcy (S), Pierre (S), Pip (S), Serge (S), Poshul (K)  
  
When Leena woke up the next day, she noticed that Poshul was already up. She was milling about in the sand and scratching with all her might.  
  
"That's odd," she remarked. "Poshul is the latest sleeper of us all."  
  
At breakfast, Leena asked if anyone else noticed that Poshul was stirring.  
  
"Like, duh," Marcy replied. "Poshul was, like, up all night. She kept, like, barking and rolling."  
  
"Poshul rolled over moi!" Harle said angrily. "I am t'inking zat Poshul 'as ze fleaz, no?" Harle inquired.  
  
"I vould study it, but I 'ave little equipment," Luccia said.  
  
Just then, Serge and Orlha came up to the breakfast table, chasing a frantic Pip.  
  
"What's going on?" Leena asked. Serge gave no reply, although he looked extremely uncomfortable.  
  
"It's that damn Poshul! She started scratching her head and she gave Serge and Pip fleas. We've been trying to get Pip to take a bath but he keeps running away," Orlha said, thrusting her hands onto her hips.  
  
"No way, I don't wike baths!" Pip shouted.  
  
"And you don't get it before me!" Janice shouted. The rabbit girl looked undeniably agitated as she shifted and tried to eat her breakfast without moving too much.  
  
"We have to, like, take care of that flea bucket!" Marcy spoke up. Leena looked hurt, but she started to feel an itch about her.  
  
"Fine, but I want no part in it."  
  
"I don't either. I've got to get the bar ready," Orlha responded.  
  
Serge, Pip, Janice, Marcy, and Harle hid in the bushes. Poshul had been rolling around in the sand ever since she had fleas. They had to put the dog down and end her fleas once and for all.  
  
"Tally ho! It seems you want to do something about le itch." Pierre came up to the group.  
  
"Don't forget me, rarrr!" Draggy roared.  
  
"Good, now that, like, Draggy is here, we can, like, set Poshul on fire," Marcy reasoned.  
  
"Marcy, vous are zo devious." Harle said with a smile. This was going to be interesting.  
  
"Like, shut up, Harle!" Marcy shouted. The girls were locked into a staring match until the bushes startled rustling. Someone was coming!  
  
" Grobyc-has-a-question-to-those-who-are-stronger. What-is-it-that-gets- into-Grobyc's-joints-and-causes-discomfort?" The metallic cyborg asked.  
  
"Whoo! It's a flea!" Janice shouted exuberantly. "Poshul has them and she gives them to us!"  
  
"Then-Poshul-must-be-eliminated. She-makes-the-team-weak," Grobyc decided.  
  
"Allons!" Harle said.  
  
The group launched a full frontal assault against Poshul, who confusedly looked at the group.  
  
"Whath going on, Sergiepoo?" Poshul asked innocently. Pip wanted to bite Poshul, until he realized that fleas would get in his mouth. Marcy couldn't punch the dog for the same reason. Pierre was going to slash the mutt, but he started fretting that fleas would eat his sword.  
  
"Idiote! Fleaz do not eat metal!" Harle shouted, ready to spare the dog and kill Pierre instead.  
  
That's when Draggy, following Marcy's advice, spit a fireball at Poshul. Her fur caught on fire so she immediately ran into the ocean, and a cloud of steam blocked the group's vision of her for a moment. When it rescinded, Poshul was nowhere to be found.  
  
Scouting around in the water, the group saw bits of Poshul's singed fur, presumably still flea-infested, but the dog herself was missing. Harle pointed out to the water when she saw something moving. Upon closer look, it was the streamlined shape of Irenes.  
  
"Mademoiselle Irenes, did you see Poshul anywhere?" Pierre called.  
  
"She was clouding de water, son of man, so I used my tail and hit her away." Irenes responded. Serge and Harle looked into the sky and could swear they saw a giant purple ball flying over the horizon and out of sight.  
  
"I was in charge of the cleaning of de oceans back home. I could get anyt'ing out with my tail." Irenes gave a deviously evil look towards the group and then proceeded to spit water on them. "I t'ink dis will get rid of t'ose fleas."  
  
"Irenes!" Pierre shouted. The group had taken cover behind the "hero" and he bore the brunt of her salt-water bath.  
  
After the group bathed in a nearby lagoon, they returned to the table, where many of the other castaways, who had not been flea-infected, were up and milling about.  
  
"Hey, where'd the dog go?" Karsh asked. He was in charge of clearing the trash today, and he had to give Poshul all of the bones and leftovers that no one else wanted.  
  
"She had ze fleaz zo she went for a long swim," Harle responded. "At least we don't 'ave problemz like zat anymore."  
  
As soon as Harle had finished talking, Sprigg started with a loud, obnoxious hiccup. Marcy smacked her hand against her head.  
  
**By: Matt620**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 3 - Guile (S), Leena (S), Orlha (S), Sprigg (K)  
  
Doc stared at Sprigg, who was complaining that she had lost control of her Dopplegang ability.  
  
"So, dude, what is the problem?" asked Doc.  
  
"It all started the day I drank that woter. Somethin' the bloody 'ell was wrong with it," Sprigg explained. "And now I can't..." Hiccup  
  
Sprigg turned into a Beeba. "It Beeba strange," said Sprigg, who sounded like she was a Beeba. Hiccup  
  
Sprigg turned back into her normal dwarven self. "So, wot can ya do?"  
  
"I have no idea," said Doc, as Orlha ran into the room.  
  
"Doc, we have another patient!" exclaimed Orlha. "Leena said that she found Guile passed out in the forest last night, and she wants to make sure that he is okay."  
  
"I'm fine," said Guile, who was being pushed into the tent by Leena.  
  
"People don't randomly pass out in the woods!" exclaimed Leena. "You are going to be checked out by Doc!"  
  
Hiccup!  
  
"Sprigg? Whoa, those were some strong drugs, dude, cause you're hot now!" said Doc.  
  
"Thank you for curing my hiccups," said a voice that didn't belong to Sprigg. Where Sprigg had been standing was now a female figure.  
  
"Sprigg?" asked Orlha.  
  
"Sprigg no longer exists," said the female. "I am Flea."  
  
"Flea? Where? I'll smash it!" exclaimed Leena.  
  
"Wow! You're a hot chick," Doc stared at Flea.  
  
"I'm a guy!!!! Male, female, what's the difference? Power is beauty."  
  
"Flea is a dangerous person," said Guile. "We must destroy him."  
  
"Have we met? You look really familiar," asked Flea. "Oh well, I guess it's time to fight." Flea blew a kiss at Doc. Doc pulled out his throwing dagger and threw it at Orlha, grazing her arm.  
  
"That was a charm spell," noted Orlha. "Leena, let's smash that Flea!" Orlha and Leena got out their weapons and ran towards Flea. They appeared to form an X, but instead of completing the strike they started smacking Flea.  
  
"Get away from me!" yelled Flea, who spun around like a whirlwind and blew the girls to the side of the tent. While Flea was distracted, Guile snapped Doc out of his confusion.  
  
"Doc, throw that vial now!" Guile yelled.  
  
Doc flung the vial at Flea's face. The vial shattered, splattering Flea with acid.  
  
"My beauty! It's melting!" Flea screamed.  
  
Guile levitated his rod in Flea's direction, aiming for his stomach. The rod ripped through Flea's stomach and came out the other side.  
  
"No, I...." Flea turned back into Sprigg.  
  
"Sprigg!" exclaimed Leena. "Are you alright?"  
  
"It was the woter," Sprigg said faintly. "Thank... you..."  
  
Doc grabbed Sprigg's hand, checking for a pulse. "She's dead, Leena. Orlha, get me a drink."  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 4 - Irenes (S), Marcy (S), Macha (K)  
  
Although they had only been on the island for a few days, everyone was getting sick and tired of only nibbling on fruits and berries for sustenance. Norris and a few others had decided to go hunting and shot a few unfamiliar animals. They looked good to eat, however, much to the hunting party's dismay, they tasted like total and utter crap. Even now if anyone was to mention animal flesh to the solider, he would run off into the woods somewhere and divest his belly of whatever food had found its way into it.  
  
It became a unanimous decision that a cook was needed quite badly if the group was going to live on this island any longer. That's when Orcha decided the group should have a cook-off. Anyone who wished to become the island's new chef would have to win the culinary competition first. Not only would the winner be in charge of all meals, but he or she would also be allowed slightly bigger portions and a little plushier tent. Entries came from all around and at the height of the sun's zenith in the sky the competition was set to commence.  
  
Wanting no part in the actual cooking, but eager to sample all the delicious food just the same, Kid had volunteered to be the judge. She also recruited Serge and Pip as her subordinates, just in case she needed a second opinion or started to get full. A quick scan over the cooks and the thief just began salivating as the aromas hit her square in the face. Slaving over their respective grills and cauldrons, from left to right, was Starky, Orcha, Marcy and Irenes, Leena, Funguy, and Macha.  
  
"Well, guess we should start with the little alien first," said Kid. Serge and Pip nodded in agreement. The group walked over to Starky's pot. There were various animals and herbs in different states all around the diminutive extraterrestrial. Kid averted her eyes, trying not to think about the combination bubbling in the cauldron.  
  
"Hewwo, Stawky," smiled Pip, as he bounded up to his friend.  
  
"Why, hello to yoou, Piip," said the alien, as he rushed to get everything ready for the judging team.  
  
"What do ya have here?" asked Kid.  
  
"It's a fiine blend of animal meeat, herbs, and spiices, all topped ooff with a special sauce," replied Starky, as he produced three bowls and proceeded to fill each of them up halfway with his concoction. "I believe yoou will liike it."  
  
Each of the judges downed the contents and they all looked quite pleased at the results. No matter where Starky came from one thing was apparent: the little guy could cook! Kid then decided to ask the alien a little more about the dish.  
  
"So, what's in the special sauce?" she wondered.  
  
"Oh, that..." Starky began as he beckoned everyone closer. "Don't tell anyone since it iis a secret, but I saw thiis bear in the woods. He sprayed thiis yellow substance all over a nearby tree and theen licked it. I went over too examine and saw iit was quite high in nutrients. So I decided to use it iin my soup."  
  
"Ulp," Kid said, turning a slight shade of green. "Ummm... I think we should go look for someone else. Thanks, Starky, but humans don't eat the stuff that comes out of animal's front sides. Let's get outta here!" She ran off to the next table, leaving a perplexed Starky.  
  
"Not out of thee front?" he questioned to himself. "Maaybe out of the back...yees, that muust be it..."  
  
Orcha was baking a succulent blend of fish, venison, and other meats. Everything was surrounded with roots and a wide assortment of greens. The presentation was beautiful and the three judges' stomachs were audibly rumbling.  
  
"Here's some fish for ya," Orcha handed Pip a plate. "And some goose for Serge and venison for Kid."  
  
They all chewed over their meals and seemed quite happy with the results.  
  
"Orcha, that was great!" exclaimed Kid. "Regardless of what everyone else makes, you have a good shot at gettin' the job. Keep up the good work!"  
  
"Don'tCHA be forgettin' me," the overweight chef added, as he winked at her. "I'll be the best cook this island has ever seen!"  
  
Next on the list was the dynamic duo of Marcy and Irenes. The scene here was quite different from the previous stations. Ingredients were in disarray, the mixture was bubbling in an eerie way, and both women just seemed to be throwing things into the pot haphazardly.  
  
"Bloody hell! What's goin' on here?" Kid inquired.  
  
"Ummm...uhhhh... like, nothing Kid," answered Marcy. "We were just about readying the meal."  
  
"Ya, it ist our masterpiece," Irenes chuckled, to which Marcy elbowed her aunt in the ribs.  
  
The little Deva then readied a bowl of her food, took one whiff of it, and threw some powder on top. "Here try this," she said as she offered the liquid up to Kid.  
  
The thief took one sip and immediately spit it out.  
  
"What is this stuff? You call this food?! It has enough garlic in it to kill every last one'a us!" Kid spat.  
  
"That was only to cover up da scent..." Irenes began.  
  
"Which is still disgustin'! You two might be good at some things, but clearly cookin' ain't one'a them!"  
  
"Why the gawwic? Was thewe a vampiwe?" asked Pip.  
  
"I dunno, Pip. Let's move on ta the next person," Kid replied.  
  
The judges walked away and Glenn approached the two distraught cooks. He was flashing his cocky smile and laughing at both of them. Marcy shot him the nastiest look she could muster.  
  
"Like, what's your problem?" the little girl wondered, anger seeping into her voice.  
  
"You," Glenn answered. "You have definitely tried to do too much with too little. You try to fight, you try to cook, and you try to be cute. Too bad you fail at all of them."  
  
"And you're one to talk," Marcy shot back. "You go around all day, like 'I'm Glenn, I'm a great swordsman, look at me with my two blades...blah blah blah blah...', but no one even cares. If it weren't for those Einlanzers you probably couldn't even harm a fly, since we all know it could outsmart you!"  
  
"Watch your tongue, brat!" Glenn barked. "I could easily take someone down without using my swords. My intellect is nothing to be scoffed at."  
  
"Then do it," Irenes stated. "Next person that ist disposed of by you must be without da swords."  
  
"Fine, I accept your challenge and agree," Glenn huffed. "But just remember, that next person might be you." The dragoon stared right into Marcy's eyes before he turned and left.  
  
"What a jerk," Marcy sighed. "I swear I'm going to teach him a lesson one of these days."  
  
"Ya," agreed Irenes. "Why do you t'ink the dish was rejected? It looked fine to me and we even got Macha's advice."  
  
"Yeah, we did...hey..." Marcy said, an idea forming in her head. "Macha was the one that told us to use garlic originally to cover up any bad smells we had. I bet it was her fault that our dish was rejected. She just wants to win it for herself!"  
  
"Well, two can play at dat game," laughed Irenes. "Come with me, dear niece. It ist time for some revenge." The relatives then walked off into the woods to discuss their plan.  
  
The girl from Arni had been slaving away over a hot stove and oven all day and had just placed her food out to cool off. There were pies, brownies, cookies, and various other sweets. Everything looked great, but there was no food around that could actually be part of a meal.  
  
"Hey, Leena," Kid piped in. "All those desserts look all well an' good, but there ain't any other dishes. What gives?"  
  
Leena looked around in shock and then back to her own table of goodies.  
  
"Well, I didn't have time to look over all the rules since I was rushing and I decided to ask someone what to do. Doc told me to make brownies, so I figured I would make other desserts too. Only when coming here did I see..." Leena began to trail off as a slight flush filled her face.  
  
"Well, I guess to be fair we'll still sample the food," Kid interrupted, as each of the judges grabbed some of the sweets to try them out.  
  
"Vewy good," smiled Pip. Serge nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, I like 'em too," said Kid. "But we just haven't seen enough of your cookin' to crown ya head chef. You could always help out in the kitchen, though."  
  
"Ummm...I'll think about it," sighed Leena as she walked away, feeling a little dejected. Serge watched her as he walked off, feeling a little sad for his friend. A judge was supposed to remain impartial, though, and what Kid had said was right. Give Leena time and eventually she might make things as good as Orcha.  
  
It was hard to miss Funguy as he was singing a raucous song while flipping steaks over on the grill. Every so often, he would powder them with some of his spores, but the intervals between these garnishings were completely random. He didn't even seem to notice the judges approaching, almost smashing Serge in the head with his spatula.  
  
"Oi, watch it there, Funguy!" Kid called out. "Ya almost beamed Serge in the head!"  
  
"Sorry," he apologized. "You'll love what I'm cooking, so it'll all be worth it."  
  
"Awe they done yet?" wondered Pip.  
  
"As a matter of fact, they are!" smiled the demi-human. "Bon appetit!"  
  
The steaks smelled fine but upon biting into them they felt very rubbery. The more the judges chewed the more they came to realize they weren't eating meat. Instead it was some kind of vegetable mixture made to look like a steak.  
  
"What is this stuff? It tastes so..." began Kid.  
  
"...Absolutely wonderful?" interrupted Funguy. "Yeah, they're tofu steaks. I swore off meat ever since I transformed. I got more in touch with nature and live off the land now. Aren't they just the greatest or what?"  
  
"Or what," mumbled Kid, her mouth still full of the tofu monstrosity.  
  
"What was that?" asked Funguy.  
  
"Nothing," Kid replied. "We'll get back to you. Tough decision and all. You know how it is."  
  
"Take your time," Funguy chuckled, as the three ran off to go spit out the food somewhere. "Kids. They always want to eat healthier, even if they don't know it. I wish my Lisa understood that. Oh well." Oblivious to everything else around him, Funguy finished making the rest of his tofu abominations.  
  
Macha was beginning to ready her gumbo together when Irenes and Marcy came over.  
  
"WhatCHA want?" asked the matronly figure.  
  
"Nothing, we just, like, want to wish you the best of luck," said Marcy. "Too bad your garlic idea didn't help us."  
  
"I'm sorry," Macha apologized. "Sometimes things don't always turn out like we hope. It's a learning experience, hun."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Marcy said. In the corner of her eye she winked at Irenes. The mermaid then dumped a whole handful of rotten shrimp into the gumbo and mixed it up real quickly.  
  
"It smells great, ya," Irenes exclaimed, as she brought her face up from the bowl. "Well, good luck, Macha."  
  
"Thanks a lot, girls," said Macha. "And don't worry, things will start to go your way in due time."  
  
"Like, they're about to right now," snickered Marcy to Irenes, as the two left.  
  
'"Hmmm...better check it one last time before the judges come round," Macha said to herself. After tasting the new soup, something seemed a little off to the woman from Guldove, but she couldn't place exactly what it was. "Oh, Macha you worry too much don'tCHA know," she laughed to herself.  
  
"Ready for us, Macha?" Kid asked.  
  
"Ready as I'll ever be," croaked Macha. Startled at the sound of her own voice, she could feel her airway constricting slightly.  
  
"Smells good," Kid remarked. "Hopefully it tastes great too."  
  
"Yes...hun..." struggled Macha, as she prepared a bowl for Kid and the other two. Beads of sweat began to pour down the woman's face.  
  
"Are you alright, there?" wondered Kid with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"...Fine..." said Macha, with her hands on her throat.  
  
Kid looked a little dubious, but began eating the gumbo just the same. It tasted fine until she bit on something that squished in her mouth and left a rancid taste. She pulled it out only to discover the offensive food item was a rotten shrimp.  
  
"Ewwww...these shrimp are sick," said Kid, waving the rotten animal in front of her face. "What are ya tryin' ta pull?"  
  
Macha realized Marcy and Irenes had tricked her. They hadn't come over to wish her luck, but to mess up her cooking. Things were much worse for her, though.  
  
"...Allergic...shell...fish..." Macha struggled to say as she slumped to the ground. "Get...Doc..." Her breathing was very labored and her eyes had taken on a glassy look. Her lips and neck had also swollen up to almost ridiculous proportions.  
  
"Serge! Get help quick!" Kid said to her companion. With a nod, he was off and running to find the island's resident physician.  
  
"Keep stwong," consoled Pip.  
  
Serge had found the physician and was practically dragging him by the arm over to the scene. The situation had taken a turn for the worse, though. Doc felt all over Macha for a pulse but came up with nothing.  
  
"Awww, dude. Why? Why?!" screamed Doc. He then began to pound the ground next to Macha's dead body. "It...never...gets...any...easier..."  
  
Just then a bell rang off in the distance.  
  
"Ooh, lunch time," the physician said, licking his lips. He then ran off to get his meal.  
  
Kid, Serge, and Pip walked over to the head of the group to make their announcement.  
  
"Thanks to all the chefs who competed, but we have came to a decision," Kid boomed. "Our new cook is...Orcha!"  
  
There was much cheering and applause as the obese man got up and did a little dance. People laughed at him, glad for a change in the dismal atmosphere that had plagued them recently.  
  
"Who da man? Who da man?" chanted Orcha. "I'm da man! Hot CHA CHA!!" Not looking where he was going, Orcha's stomach bumped into Glenn.  
  
"Get that thing off me you fat slob!" yelled Glenn.  
  
"Looks like someone isn't going to get any dessert tonight with that attitude," Orcha chided the dragoon. A good number of people laughed at Orcha's comment. Glenn turned red in the face and stormed off in anger.  
  
Off to the side Luccia and Grobyc were discussing something in hushed tones.  
  
"Why-did-you-have-to-do-it-sister?" asked the cyborg. "The-steam-room-was- fine-as-it-was. The-dimensional-crosser-was-unnecessary. Now-you-have- weakened-our-current-reality."  
  
"Shush!" replied Luccia in a terse whisper. "It von't affect anyone. Just keep quiet and no one vill know..."  
  
"As-the-dimensional-walls-break-down-our-dimension-will-grow-more-and-more- unstable. It-might-even-collapse-in-on-itself!"  
  
"I'm vell avare. Just say nothing and it should all be fine."  
  
Just then a little figure clad in green clothes and a strange hat walked up to them. He held a wooden shield in his right arm and wielded a peculiar sword in his left. The person seemed to be looking for something very intently on the ground, as he was chopping grass away with well-timed horizontal swings. Finally, he found what he was looking for as he grabbed a collection of rocks. Holding them up in the air, they shone with a light above his head while music played somewhere in the background. The little person vanished as quickly as he appeared. Both Luccia and Grobyc were shocked at what they saw as they just stared at each other.  
  
"I-hope-you-are-right," Grobyc said, eyeing his sister in disgust.  
  
Deep within the woods, Glenn was walking and kicking a rock in anger.  
  
"Stupid fat man," Glenn snarled. "Thinks he can make fun of me...I'll show him..." Not looking where he was going the dragoon ran right into the middle of a group of men in orange jumpsuits.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Glenn wondered.  
  
"We should be asking you da same thing, punk!" said one of the bigger men. "We were in da Emerald City one minute and da next thing we know we're sitting in some kinda forest. What's sup with that?"  
  
"I can't really help you there," Glenn said, trying to go around the group of men.  
  
"Then can you at least show us to da fresh meat?" the big man pleaded. "If you get my drift..."  
  
"Fresh meat..." mused Glenn. He then remembered the bumbling oaf that had ticked him off recently. A plan began to formulate in Glenn's mind, one that didn't even involve his swords.  
  
"Stick with me, gentlemen," Glenn said as a devilish grin spread over his face. "And I'll show you all the 'fresh meat' you can handle."  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 5 - Kid (S), Serge (S), Sneff (S), Mel (K)  
  
Sneff wanted to show Serge and Kid his new magic trick, but he was a little worried as it had not been perfected yet.  
  
Kid told him not to worry and convinced Mel to help him out.  
  
Mel got onto the table and proceeded to be sawed in half. Only after a lot of screaming had Sneff realized that he had picked up the wrong saw. Silly Sneff!  
  
"Take that, you little brat!" spat Kid, in between bursts of laughter. "That will show you next time you think of swiping my elements!"  
  
Serge, of course, said nothing as Sneff frantically searched for a mop and bucket.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 6 - Glenn (S), Orcha (K)  
  
Orcha was relaxing in the steam room after a long hard day of cooking. You know, manly work.  
  
Glenn walked in. "Orcha, I'd like to talk to you about something," said Glenn, calmly.  
  
"Sure, whatCHA want to talk about?" asked the fat oaf.  
  
"Well, it's about your pick-up skills. They're, how you say, lacking," replied Glenn.  
  
"WhatCHA saying?!" shouted a shocked Orcha. "I'm a chick magnet!"  
  
"Not with those!" retorted Glenn, pointing to Orcha's chest.  
  
"My man boobs?" cried Orcha. "But they are my pride and joy."  
  
"Yeah, well, they have to go," said Glenn. Glenn rustled around inside his pack and pulled out a decidedly feminine undergarment. "Here, put this on," Glenn indicated to Orcha.  
  
"A bra? Those are for girls!" Orcha said confused.  
  
"Don't be silly, big guy. It's a 'bro'. Chicks dig 'em," reassured Glenn.  
  
"Well, OK, if it's so I can get some action, then I guess it's fine," reasoned Orcha as he slipped the bro on. "Thanks a bunch, Glenn. You're a true friend."  
  
"No problem," said Glenn, as he walked out of the steam room. Once outside he grabbed a nail and hammer and proceeded to hammer a sign up. He then turned to a bunch of seedy looking characters that were waiting outside the steam room. "He's all yours guys," said Glenn as he walked off.  
  
The sign on the door said 'OZ' and the men rushed in. Orcha was never heard from again.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 7 - (Marcy)  
  
Pt. 1  
  
It was getting pretty heated out there on the island.  
  
After frantically scrambling around and scheming and such, there was no clear-cut winner.  
  
So the round continued...

(This was due to the fact that Marcy had the most amount of kill and save votes, creating a paradox. We let the voting remain open, but this problem was not resolved. Instead, we then took the idea of a paradox and wrote the second part.)  
  
Pt. 2  
  
Marcy, Kid, and Irenes were talking amongst themselves as proud members of The Orphans Club.  
  
"So who do ya like the best?" asked Kid.  
  
"I like Turnip," replied Irenes. "His green hair ist so sexy."  
  
"Good luck on that one," added Kid. "NeoFio's got her vines all over him. Even though everyone thinks I'm inta Serge, I really have a thing for Skelly. Somethin' 'bout the undead does it fer me. What about you Marcy?"  
  
"I like Fargo," piped Marcy. "At first I was like, he's so old, but then I was like, whatever!"  
  
At this statement Kid and Irenes stopped their conversation and stared at Marcy. In the distance some crickets chirped.  
  
"That's just sick, Marcy!" shouted Kid. "He IS yer Dad, ya know? And another thing, how did ya even get into The Orphans Club? 'Cept for your mom, all yer family is right here."  
  
"Like, whatever, I have no family," sulked Marcy. "Maybe when I get bigger I can, like, start one. With Fargo..."  
  
Kid and Irenes just shook their heads. "Well anyway, Glenn said to head over to the campsite soon. He's been feelin' a few weird distortions in this dimension," explained Kid. "Just to be sure, we should all be next to the Astral Amulet in case we need to dimension hop. Head over in ten minutes. OK, Marcy?"  
  
"Like, I heard you the first time," snapped Marcy. With that Irenes and Kid walked off toward the group.  
  
After picking up a few sticks and playing around for some unknown purpose, something caught the child's eye.  
  
"OOOOHHhhhh...YARN!" screamed Marcy as she went over to play with it. As she was making string animals, the whole island suddenly shook violently. There was a huge ripple in the center of the island where the campsite was, and then all was still.  
  
"Like, uh-oh," squealed Marcy. She looked around her and saw no one else. To make matters worse, the edges of the island seemed to be going black and falling off. It seemed like this dimension was coming apart at the seams.  
  
"Like, double uh-oh," said Marcy forlornly.  
  
Meanwhile, the group was all coming to their senses, as they had just dimension-hopped to a more stable reality. Glenn was counting everyone off when he suddenly stopped.  
  
"Hey, anyone seen Marcy?" he asked.  
  
"That stupid little girl!" spat Kid. "I told her to come to the campsite!"  
  
"Hey, Miss K, is there something we can do? Nyak-nyak-nyak!" blurted Skelly.  
  
Kid thought about it for a minute and then had an idea. "Hey mate," she called out to Serge. "Do ya still have that Cross doo-hickey?"  
  
Serge nodded his head.  
  
"Do ya think you could Cross her into this world, then?" asked Kid.  
  
Serge shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Slightly annoyed at the seemingly unending pantomimes, Kid rolled her eyes. "Well, do ya think you could try?"  
  
Serge, shook his head up and down emphatically with a grin on his face. He then pulled out the Chrono Cross and strained his face in an effort to concentrate.  
  
"Do you think it will work, amigo?" asked Greco to Doc.  
  
"Either it will or that dude is going to have one serious bowel movement, dude," replied the medical school graduate. "Whichever one happens though, this is going to be gnarly!"  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	3. New Location, Rounds 8 through 14

I know it's been a little while, but I've been busy as of late. Plus, our editors had other things going on as well, so it took a little longer than normal. A few interesting things happen in these rounds. The survivors have finally settled down in their new dimension and, due to the vote that GameFAQs users took place in, Marcy was allowed to follow them through the use of the Chrono Cross. The blood between her and Glenn reaches a fever pitch as well, with an interesting result. Finally, Serge begins to act a bit out of character, which will be explored in later rounds. Thanks to I AM SERGE and TenkoStar17 for editing these rounds. I hope you enjoy them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Round 8 – Orlha (S), Skelly (K), Marcy (Crossed In)  
  
The survivors were all sitting down to a nice dinner after the crazy events from the previous day. It seemed like they were in this for the long haul now and they would have to be extra cautious as nothing was the way it appeared. Stability no longer existed as even the very reality they were currently in could shift at any time.  
  
There was some confusion as to who the new cook would be, since Macha and Orcha had been offed a few days ago. Starky immediately volunteered for the position, but he was quickly removed after someone heard him ask, "What doo yoouu mean yoouu don't eat whaat comes out yoour baacksides?" Leena was a halfway-decent chef, and since everyone else was feeling pretty lazy, she was reluctantly pushed into the job. To lighten the load, Orlha agreed to be her server.  
  
Orlha was going around to all the tables taking orders and such. She then came upon the table where Fargo, Skelly, Funguy, and Grobyc were sitting.  
  
"What can I get you all?" she asked.  
  
"I'll have me some fresh fish," replied Fargo. "So fresh I want to cut it with me sword!"  
  
"Right..." remarked Orlha, as she slowly backed away. "Anyone else?"  
  
The rest of the table then ordered. Orlha was just about to walk away before Skelly called her back for a little booze to take the edge off.  
  
"I'll take a double scotch on the rocks, toots," Skelly called. "And if you can bring it to me right quick then there's an extra fiver in it for you! Nyak-nyak-nyak!" Skelly then whacked Orlha on the behind.  
  
Orlha's eyes opened wide as she was startled by the action. Then her expression just as quickly returned to normal before she glared at the undead clown.  
  
"I'll be right back with your drinks," Orlha said coldly as she walked off.  
  
"Did you get a look at that butt?" asked Skelly. "Man, she could jump my bones anytime! Nyak-nyak-nyak!"  
  
"Grobyc-sees-trouble-ahead-for-you-stupid-one," predicted the cyborg.  
  
"Yeah, I have a daughter a little younger than she is. You really shouldn't be treating women like that," said Funguy.  
  
"Oh, go blow some spores you old goat," seethed Skelly. "I'm such a mack daddy pimp anyways, that all the chicks go for me."  
  
"Whatever, ye say matey," said Fargo, chuckling to himself.  
  
Orlha came back with their drinks and set them down. "Your food should be ready shortly," she said. With that she headed off again, but just before that Fargo could have sworn she winked at him. 'Nah, must be me imagination,' the pirate thought to himself.  
  
All four tablemates gulped their drinks down when Skelly remarked, "Wow, this drink, is really good! It seems to have something extra!" He then peered around the glass quizzically.  
  
Fargo took out a cigar and was about to light it when Orlha came back over. "Let me get that for you, Fargo," she said as she lit it for him.  
  
"Th-th-Thanks," he stammered, a little weirded out by Orlha's sudden ministrations over him. 'Better tip her real well tonight,' Fargo reminded himself.  
  
Orlha bent real close to his ear and said, "Brace yourself." Fargo didn't understand what she meant, but he did so in a second as she flung the still- lit match over at the pile of bones.  
  
"Hey, what..." said a confused Skelly. The match then hit him and there was a deafening explosion as bits of bone flew in every direction.  
  
Orlha walked up to what was left of Skelly's head and leered at it. "Turns out there was something extra in your drink. We call it nitroglycerin, toots."  
  
"I'll ggeeeetttt..." croaked the skull before Orlha's foot came down and crushed it into bits.  
  
"Oops," said Orlha sheepishly. "Guess I stepped on some bones. Clumsy me."  
  
With that, she marched off back to Leena in the kitchen.  
  
Fargo, still on the ground and a little singed from the explosion, merely shook his head and mumbled "Crazy bitch" under his breath.  
  
Suddenly a yell broke out from one of the tables as Marcy tumbled out of thin air and fell on top of Razzly.  
  
"What did I miss?" asked Marcy, as she tried to shake the fog in her head from crossing dimensions.  
  
Serge was just beaming ecstatically while flashing a triumphant look.  
  
"This just keeps on getting weirder and weirder, ese," said Greco to Doc.  
  
"I know, but isn't it mad wicked?! Dude, it's almost better than porn!" replied the not-quite-sober physician. With that, he turned back to his food. "Man, am I ever hungry..."  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 9 – Marcy (S), Glenn (K)  
  
Glenn was toweling himself off after a hard day of practicing. He knew he was clearly the most-skilled one here, but the physical exertion seemed to have a calming effect on his psyche. 'Man, I so have this contest in the bag,' he thought to himself. 'For anyone to flat out challenge me they would have to either be extremely brave or extremely stupid.'  
  
As he was walking out of the practice field, he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Is someone out there?" he yelled. No response was forthcoming, though. Glenn merely shrugged his shoulders and trudged on.  
  
As he walked deeper into the forest, he could have sworn he heard impish laughing, but after a few unsuccessful attempts at tracing it back to the source, he chalked it up to the slight breeze blowing through the trees.  
  
Glenn soon came upon one tree in particular that caught his eye. Well, it wasn't so much the tree that caught his eye, as what was on the ground below it. Painted on the ground was a large black 'X' and right in front of it was a sign which read "For free donuts, stand on the black X".  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," said Glenn. "Do they really think someone would just blindly stand on the X? I definitely smell a trap. However, there is always the chance to get some grub out of this, and I'm a man who likes his donuts..." Curiosity finally got the best of Glenn and he walked over until both feet were planted squarely on the X.  
  
No sooner had he done that then, a string shot around his ankles. It pulled him up until he was hanging upside down, dangling in the wind. Laughter burst out from behind a nearby tree and the source was finally revealed. It was none other than Marcy, the confused wannabe-Valley-Girl.  
  
"Like, I can't believe you fell for that!" she laughed.  
  
"I commend you for your ambush, but it'll take more than a little string to stop me," said the swordsman. With that, he brought out his sword and severed the string binding him. Not missing a beat, he gracefully did a flip and landed feet first in front of the shocked child.  
  
"Well aren't you Mr. Fancy Pants?" Marcy taunted. "Like, look at me, I'm so cool, I have a sword." Marcy then stuck out her tongue at him.  
  
Glenn then reached into his other scabbard and pulled out his other Einlanzer. "Make that **TWO** swords," he corrected. "All the better to hit you with, my soon-to-be-dead darling." And with that he lunged at Marcy.  
  
Marcy nimbly dodged to the side, all the while saying to herself, "Like, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap." She knew she couldn't dodge him forever, so she decided it was time to employ the second phase of Operation: Bring Down the Scarred Meanie.  
  
Marcy shot a string out of her hand to a branch far away. She then swung Spider-Man style out into the distance. She kept on repeating this until she was clearly outdistancing the heavier opponent. "Like, catch me if you can, slowpoke," she called out.  
  
Try as he might, Glenn could not keep the child in his line of sight. Out of breath, he followed her general direction and soon came upon a fork in the path. In the middle of the fork was a sign with two different directional arrows on it. The left one read "This way is slower" and the right one read "This way is faster".  
  
"Well, it could be another trap," Glenn said aloud to himself. "But then again, she's just a child out to play a little game. How dangerous can she really be?" With that he made up his mind and headed down the right path.  
  
Glenn soon realized that this path led to a dead end. There was nothing but a cliff here which led right into the ocean.  
  
"Oh, great, the stupid sign lied," he sighed to himself. As if on cue, Marcy then jumped out.  
  
"No, it didn't," she chuckled. "Like, it was so totally faster. To your doom that is!" And with that she pulled on some secret strings that were embedded in the ground. The ground then shook violently in a cascade like a wave. As the wave rolled closer and closer to the confused warrior all he could manage to say was, "I hate you" before he was flung sky-high in the air and over the cliff. Glenn landed in the ocean with a "Sploosh!".  
  
"Do you think this is going to stop me?!" he yelled to the cackling blonde on the ledge. "I **CAN** swim, you know."  
  
"Like, I figured, as much," Marcy replied. "But so can he." With that she put her fingers in her mouth and blew a whistle.  
  
Glenn felt the water moving all around him as he knew something big was surfacing and surfacing fast. All of the sudden a gigantic eye broke the surface, followed shortly by the rest of the Leviathan's form. As it opened its mouth wide, the last thought Glenn had was, 'I really hope Pinocchio became a real boy' before he was swallowed whole.  
  
"Like, thanks, Jonah," Marcy said to the departing whale as it blew its blowhole in salute. "Now, I better head back to camp, because it's game night and I am so going to bust a move in Twister. Like, my right hand is so over that red that I'll even get Kid to be like, whatever!" Marcy then skipped back to the others with a grin on her face stretching from ear-to- ear.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 10 – Kid (S), Sneff (K)  
  
Sneff was showing Marcy, Van, and Leah how to turn people into cats. "Who wants to be in the show?" he asked  
  
"Like, not me," replied Marcy. "Like, let her be in the show," Marcy pointed to Kid, who was walking by.  
  
"Hold yer sea horses," said Kid. "Nobody uses me for a magic trick. I'm gonna kick your arse so hard you'll kiss the moons!"  
  
But Sneff didn't listen to Kid. "One...Two...Ow, my back..."  
  
"Oi, Sneff, you picked the wrong sheila to mess with. Say yer prayers, not that it will do ya any good!" Kid pulled out her dagger.  
  
Lots of daggers flew towards Sneff as Kid used her Red Pin tech. Sneff fell to the ground.  
  
"Like, is he dead?" asked Marcy.  
  
"Um... me don't know," answered Leah.  
  
"Should you have done this?" asked Van.  
  
Kid put her dagger away. "Nobody messes with me and lives to tell the tale..." Kid walked away, laughing evilly.  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 11 – Serge (S), Viper (K)  
  
Serge was walking back from the main group, still a little ticked about losing the game of charades. His team members guessed his mimes no problem, but when it came time for him to relay their movements, his miming back was not an acceptable answer. His team lost by a landslide and Serge was pissed.  
  
'It's not like I don't know how to talk or anything,' Serge thought to himself. 'It's just that my words are too important to be wasted on insolent whelps such as them.' Serge kicked a few rocks ahead of him as he plodded on back to the tents.  
  
'Sometimes it seems like everyone around me has employed selective listening in defiance to my selective speech. Well, you know what? Screw 'em! Screw 'em all! I am the "Chrono Trigger"! I got us through this little "adventure" we had! Not them! Me! So if they don't like how I run ship around here then they can piss off! And I swear, if one more person calls me "junior" or "son" around here...'  
  
"You look like you could use some company, son," said a voice as it snapped Serge out of his thoughts. Serge looked around his immediate area, only to have his gaze settle on none other than Lord Viper.  
  
'Oh great, the old codger wants to make small talk,' groaned Serge, inwardly.  
  
"You seemed a little troubled this evening. I was just wondering if you wanted to talk...errrr...mime it out?" asked the older man.  
  
'Hardy, har, har,' thought Serge, as he rolled his eyes. 'You want to know why I'm so cranky. I haven't gotten any lately. Kid's all angry since Skelly blew up and Leena is playing that "no sex until marriage" card. How about your daughter? She's a tasty little piece. What do you say, Viper? Can I take her for a spin?' Serge pointed to himself, then the ground at Viper's feet, and then made small hump motions.  
  
Viper's eyes lit up in seeming recognition. "Is that what has been bothering you? You should have said something sooner then, son. I would have been happy to help," assured Viper.  
  
'Sweet! I'm finally going to get some!' thought Serge, as a broad grin began to show itself on his face.  
  
"Yes, yes, of course," chuckled Viper, as he reached around in his pockets for something. Finally, he pulled something out. "Here it is," he said, holding up a small tube of some sort. "I've been getting a rash from the grass out here too. A few rubs of this on whatever itches and you can sleep soundly again."  
  
At this the smile faded off Serge's face rather quickly. 'OK, you asked for it, fogey,' strained Serge as his eyes narrowed to little slits.  
  
"Ummm...uhhhh...no...?" asked Viper, noticing the sudden change in Serge's demeanor.  
  
Serge brought up his hand and out shot a small bolt of white light. Viper barely managed to dodge aside in time, as the assault hit a rock outcropping behind him.  
  
"What are you doing, son?" questioned Viper, shocked.  
  
Not bothering to acknowledge his question, Serge then called forth a meteor rock, aiming it right at Viper. Viper again moved, but this time the space rock clipped him on the side of his head.  
  
"Now see here..." Viper started, as he began to pull out his geometrically unique sword.  
  
Serge didn't let up though, as he called forth an even bigger beam of white light. This one caught Viper full force and slammed him into a nearby tree. Staggered, but not down, Viper wiped the blood off his hands and stormed over to Serge.  
  
"Now you're going to get it, son," Viper said, losing all pretense of friendliness.  
  
'Nope, now **YOU'RE** going to get it' thought Serge, as he called forth to the heavens. Light then began to pour all around their immediate area, until it was almost as bright as midday. From the sky four soldiers with wings materialized out of nowhere, with spears poised to throw at Viper.  
  
"Holy, mother of p..." was all Viper managed to utter before the four javelins hit him at full force, dropping the General in a heap. His body didn't hit the ground though, as it turned into a white substance almost instantaneously. The saints then departed.  
  
Serge gave them a goodbye wave and then walked over to see what was left of Viper's body. "OOOHHHHH...shiny salt!' he thought, as a smile grew on his face. 'With this stuff I bet I can make anything edible. Even Lenna's cooking...'  
  
The Chrono Trigger then gathered the salt up and hurried over to the tents for a late night snack.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 12 – Harle (S), Turnip (K)  
  
Turnip was lounging out by the beach, soaking up the final rays of the day. It was almost sunset, but the beet platypus didn't really care, as he had been having a great time here on the island. He had on custom-fit shades and a towel around his waist, but otherwise he was exactly the way he came out of the ground. There was a heavily alcoholic pina colada in his hand that he occasionally sipped, as his trusty sword lay at his feet.  
  
'Man, this-eth rocks,' Turnip laughed to himself.  
  
"Telegram, for Monsieur Turnip," said a voice, startling Turnip out of his relaxation. He took off his shades and stood up, only to come up to the stranger's chest. It was the jester, Harle. She had started a telegram surface on the island, as no one had brought their cell phones, and was making a nice amount of money off it.  
  
"Who, be-eth it from?" asked Turnip, as he scrambled back into his clothes.  
  
"Non' other zan your love, NeoFio. She wants to know if you can pick up ze special leaves on your way home. Ooh la la! Special!" winked the harlequin.  
  
"It's for her hobby..." Turnip attempted to explain.  
  
"Monsieur does not have to explain anyt'ing to Harle, non," replied Harle, again with a wink.  
  
Harle waited as Turnip got ready and put his beach equipment away. When he was all ready, she handed him the notice. She then extended her hand. Turnip felt around in his pockets, only to come up broke.  
  
"It so appear-eth that I have forgotten mine wallet back at the tents, Harle. Be-eth a good sport and temporarily extend-eth me credit?" requested Turnip.  
  
Harle's face turned sour. "Non, pay now or I will take ze payment out in other ways." Harle then crossed her hands over her chest.  
  
"What be-eth the other forms of payment?" questioned Turnip.  
  
"I request...zat sword," indicated Harle, as she pointed to Turnip's scabbard.  
  
"I am sorry to decline-eth thine demands, but I cannot part with mine weapon," said Turnip, as he clutched his sword closer.  
  
"Give zat 'ere, green man, or I shall take it by force," said Harle, as her eyes narrowed.  
  
"No! Be gone foul wench!" screamed Turnip, as he took a swipe at Harle. The jester wiggled away and left the ground, all in one graceful motion. Turnip could only watch her in awe, as she reached her zenith and then began to descend right on top of him. He tried to bring his sword up in a defensive posture, but was nary a second too late. Her feet connected onto his head, sending Turnip down into the ground so that only his sprout-like hair could be seen.  
  
"MMMMMMmmmpppffff..." mumbled the trapped creature.  
  
"What iz zat?" mocked Harle. "I might be obliged to free, monsieur...for a fee." All of the sudden, familiar music began playing, as Harle snapped back and disappeared into thin air.  
  
"I'm-a coming!" shouted the new character. He was quite short, but had muscular legs. He wore blue overalls with a red shirt. Accompanying this was a red hat with an "M" in the middle of it. But all of this was overshadowed by his prominent mustache.  
  
"What-a do we have-a here?" asked the short man. He tugged on Turnip's root- hair until he was free. The man did not put Turnip down, though, as he still struggled to be free.  
  
"Why you no-a turn into a coin-a?" he asked.  
  
"Unhand-eth me!" screamed Turnip.  
  
"Mama mia! The vegetable talked-a! I'm-a gonna use this to bash-a Wart!" he said, an idea taking shape in his plumber's head. He then began to shimmer. "Looks like-a time's up! The potion-door only lasts-a so long!"  
  
"Nnnnooooo..." protested Turnip, as he faded away with the strange man.  
  
Harle then materialized out of the air after observing everything that transpired.  
  
"So, zat is where zat door went..." Harle said, as she smirked to herself. "Good luck, monsieur plumber!" Harle then left the beach, as she was already behind and had a backlog of messages to deliver.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 13 – Kid (S), NeoFio (K)  
  
NeoFio was relaxing in a pond a few hundred feet away from the others, thinking about the loss of her dear friend Turnip. Sure, she missed everyone who has met an unfortunate end recently, but none of them struck home like Turnip's. The duck-billed root was someone NeoFio could relate to: a horribly misshapen, yet also horribly cute demi-human.  
  
"We were a team," NeoFio thought aloud. "Turnip made me feel strong, like I could help out the others. Before I met him, I was always in the way because I couldn't contribute anything to the team. He gave me confidence. But now..."  
  
"Hey, NeoFio, so that's what's buggin' ya?" Kid walked toward the flower child. "Ya miss yer friend?"  
  
"Hi, Kid," NeoFio said as she looked up from her reflection. "Yeah, I miss Turnip. I just can't seem to get over his death. We were so close, but now I don't feel complete anymore. If only there was a way..." NeoFio drifted off.  
  
Kid waded towards NeoFio. "...A way to do what?" she questioned.  
  
NeoFio looked Kid in the eyes, while tears dripped down her own. "If only there was a way to bring him back!"  
  
"Bring the bugger back to life? I don't think that's possible, NeoFio," Kid explained.  
  
"You can't say it's impossible!" the demi-human protested. "Look at me! If Luccia or Serge had thought that, I wouldn't be here!"  
  
"So how do you plan on reviving Turnip?" Kid asked skeptically.  
  
"Hmm..." NeoFio was deep in thought.  
  
"Maybe dragonballs...?" Kid pondered.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Maybe 108 Stars of Destiny? What's Leknaat's number?"  
  
"No! No! Those ideas won't work. I wish there was an item that brought people back to life." NeoFio's eyes suddenly shone as she had a revelation. "That's it! The Life Sparkle! We can use it to wake him up! C'mon! We have to hurry!" NeoFio jumped up, grabbed Kid's hand, and proceeded to drag her in a seemingly random direction.  
  
"Oi! Hold yer sea horses! We don't have the Life Sparkle anymore!" Kid stopped NeoFio. "Where are you going?"  
  
The flower child was still jumping up and down out of excitement. "I know we don't have one, bud. But I can sense another one nearby! Follow me!" NeoFio ran off again. Kid, not knowing what else to do, followed.  
  
NeoFio sprinted through the woods with Kid in toe until they arrived at a large tree guarded by an old, wise carrot demi-human.  
  
NeoFio stepped up to the carrot demi-human and yelled, "Old man carrot! Outtamyway, bud! There's a Life Sprinkle on the ground behind you and I need it!"  
  
The wise carrot demi-human stood his ground. "Hello, guests. Under this tree grows precious Life Sparkle. Only a select few may use them. Please, state your purpose."  
  
"I have to use the Life Sparkle to revive my dead friend. Now get out of my way or I will make you!" NeoFio threatened with the most menacing look a flower head can make.  
  
Needless to say, the wise carrot demi-human was not scared. "Alright," he assented as he bent over, picked a Life Sparkle, and handed it to NeoFio, but not before his hand holding the Sparkle briefly illuminated. "Here you go." The flower child snatched it. "BUT, before you use it to revive your friend, you should test it to see if it will work properly. Simply pour a little on yourself, and if you feel a burst of energy, you know it will work on your friend."  
  
"Okay," NeoFio complied. After all, she didn't want to make another trip here if the first one didn't work. "Kid, would you mind pouring some on me?"  
  
Kid took the Life Sparkle and started to pour it on her flower head. "Sure thing. Ya know, NeoFio, you sure have gained confidence from this mission of yours. It turns out that all ya need is somethin' to put yer heart into and you can be as strong as the rest of us!"  
  
NeoFio smiled at the compliment. "Yeah, I guess you're right! I have gained confidence! I'm stronger than I—Oh!! Ahhh!!!" The flower child started screaming. "It burns, burns!! Get it off, get it off!!" She started shaking and fell to the ground. "Buurrrnss..." NeoFio began to disintegrate, like she was being eaten by tiny bugs, until she was completely gone.  
  
"Foolish flower," the wise carrot admonished. "You may have gained confidence, but you have no manners! Didn't anyone ever teach you to say 'please' and 'thank you'? You got what you deserved! Justice has been served!"  
  
Kid shook out of her shock. "Justice? How am I supposed to tell the others about this? Oh, wait...she wasn't that useful anyway, and no one will notice that she's gone. And manners are very important, too." Kid stepped on NeoFio's remains and started off toward the camp where the others were. "Goodbye, Mr. Carrot! Have a nice day!"  
  
"Thank you! Goodbye, young lady! You have a nice day, too!"  
  
"What a nice guy..."  
  
**By: TenkoStar17**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 14 – Serge (S), Van (K)  
  
Van was staring at his blank easel, taking glances at his watch every now and then. He was missing a vital color needed to start his new painting and had arranged a meeting with Serge to trade for some paint the mute had procured earlier. Well, at least that's what Van thought they had agreed on. For all of Serge's gesturing he could have meant that he and Van were supposed to stomp on wild muskrats underneath the cover of sunrise while naked cantaloupes watched on in hysteria. Van decided to go with the more sensible interpretation though.  
  
Serge was tapping his foot impatiently in a little clearing off to the side of the tents, wondering where the whiny bespectacled youth was. He had brought along the paint he made himself. It was actually easy to ground up some tree bark and make the color over by the beach. It just seemed to him that Van was lazy.  
  
'Damn, good for nothing, lazy dillhole,' thought Serge. 'How dare he make me wait this long? It's already starting to get dark.' Serge could feel his agitation levels rising.  
  
"Ahh, you're already here," said Van as he entered the meeting site. "Sorry to keep you waiting, buddy. I just got a little preoccupied with a few things before I left." In truth, Van armed himself as a precaution. Not that the fact that Serge had saved his hide dozens of times in their adventure meant nothing to Van, but lately Serge had been acting not quite himself. He was very edgy and irrational, especially at night.  
  
'Oh great, the prodigal son returns,' thought Serge, as he rolled his eyes. 'Where's the payment?' questioned Serge as he rubbed his fingers together to indicate what he wanted.  
  
"Oh, I have it here," Van said, as he ruffled through his pack. He pulled out a stack of gold notes that had been banded together by some elastic. "Where's the stuff?"  
  
Serge thrust out the jar he had put the paint in. Van took it in his hand and inspected the substance. It truly was just the right color he had been looking for. Van then handed Serge the money and began to walk off.  
  
Serge took the cash in his hand and began looking it over. Something was fishy...and then it dawned on him. The little jerk shorted him by five notes! Serge's eyes widened at being cheated and it was only then that a glint of moonlight caught his eyes as Van was moving away.  
  
'So, he's armed and wants to play rough,' Serge laughed, pulling out his swallow. 'I think I can help him with that.'  
  
Van was just about back onto the main path, when all of the sudden he heard a rush of air moving above him. He looked up just in time to see a little patch of earth bearing down on him. He skirted to the side, watching it fall where he was standing only seconds before.  
  
"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!" Van screamed as he turned around. "We had a deal, fair and square, remember?"  
  
'Yeah, but that was before you tried to weasel your way out of it!' Serge screamed in his head, fire in his eyes as he was already running towards Van.  
  
"D-d-don't make me h-h-hurt you," Van stammered. He then quickly felt around his person for his weapon. He brought the boomerang, but his other hand closed on something in his belt. It came up with a missing five note.  
  
"Oh, I must have dropped this, here you go, friend," Van said, relieved, as he figured out the source of Serge's ire. He held up the note, smiling. The offense would surely drop now.  
  
Serge saw the note Van held in his hand, waving it around with a little smile on his face. 'He's toying with me?! Son of a...,' Serge thought, as all attempts at holding back vanished right then and there.  
  
Van quickly went from being relieved to being terrified, as Serge did not slow down, but in fact sped up. Van fired his boomerang out at the moving target, but mistimed the throw, completely missing his assailant. Serge then became a white blur, untraceable to the naked eye.  
  
Van blinked and felt a ripping pain in his chest. He looked to see Serge in front of him. The swallow was embedded in his chest and he could feel it piercing through his back. He tried to mumble something, but all that came out was an intelligible gurgle and some blood. He then fell into the endless sleep to end all sleeps.  
  
'There's the blood-red color you wanted,' Serge laughed to himself, as he extricated the swallow from his fellow adventurer. 'And don't worry about the payment, this one's on me.' Serge smirked to himself and bounded off toward the beach to wash the sticky substance off his weapon and clothes.  
  
A hooded figure watched all that happened and appeared pleased. It nodded to itself once, and then took off in the opposite direction of Serge, clutching an object very tightly in its hand. As it walked off, the boomerang completed its arc and thumped into the tree behind the artist, marking his final resting spot. And there it would remain.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	4. Football, Good Eats, and Sinister Plots,...

Quite a bit happens in these rounds, some of it good, some of it bad, and some of it just plain funny. We see the fates of Draggy and Starky when the kitchen needs some ingredients, there's a rousing game of football, and Radius and Zoah realize something isn't right. And just what is Lynx up to along with the mysterious "hooded figure"? Find out in this newest installment as the story takes shape even further. Thanks to Destio and TenkoStar17 for the editing of these rounds.

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Round 15 – Guile (S). Harle (S), Draggy (K)  
  
The midday sun was out in full force as all the survivor entrants were busy going about their daily activities. Leah was smashing rocks, Funguy was chopping wood, and Doc was making...medicine (at least that's what he said he was doing, but after sniffing the aroma wafting out from his tent, people became strangely hungry).  
  
Harle was just beginning to run her messaging service for the day. Her first stop was over at the kitchen for Leena, as she had a few special requests. As Harle moved the flap aside to walk into the spacious tent, she saw a figure wearing a bandanna stumbling out. Serge was holding his hand over his head, as if recovering from a hangover, yet he was known for leading the clean life.  
  
"Zat iz strange," remarked Harle. She didn't pay the boy much attention, though. "Per'aps 'e waz gambling last night, non?"  
  
"Oh, Harle, you're just in time," called out Leena. She was in the back, standing over a large cauldron, occasionally leaning over to throw a few more ingredients around and to stir the stew. "I need you to pick up a few more ingredients before I can start cooking dinner." She then handed Harle a list.  
  
"All of zees?" Harle inquired, beginning to do a mental calculation of her fee.  
  
"No, just the ones that have a star by them," Leena explained. "The rest have already been taken care of."  
  
Suddenly the viscous fluid sputtered, and a splash of it hit the ingredient list. The hot liquid burnt Harle's hand a little, so she quickly dropped the page.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Leena apologized. "That means the meal needs those extra ingredients added fairly soon. I'll pay you double if you can pick them up quick."  
  
"Double, non?" Harle chimed, her eyes lighting up. She then bent down to pick up the paper. "Do not worry, Mademoiselle Leena, Harle will get ze t'ings you need."  
  
Harle then left the tent and winked as she left. She studied the list, but found the ink had run a little from the soup that had hit it. She could still make out most of what was written, though.  
  
She began collecting what was needed, teleporting around the island on whim. In twenty minutes she had gotten all the items requested except for two lines. These ingredients were very badly blurred and try as Harle might, she could not make them out. Finally, she resigned herself to outside help and went to find the master decipherer.  
  
"Wake up, Monsieur Guile," she called out to the sleeping form.  
  
The magician blinked the sleep out of his eyes and looked around, still groggy. He shifted his mask into place and brushed the dirt from the night off his sleeves. Finally, when he deemed himself passable, he addressed the harlequin.  
  
"How can I help you then, Harle?" he asked.  
  
"I need you to decipher zees t'ings," Harle said, holding out the paper. Guile then took the paper from her.  
  
"Hmmmmm..." he wondered aloud as he studied the paper for a few minutes. Finally, he came up with an answer. "This one says lizard clippings and this one says dragon tongue."  
  
"Where will I find zees two?" wondered Harle.  
  
"Well, I can show you where the lizard clippings are, but as far as the dragon tongue goes..." Guile laughed. "You might want to have me along for that one."  
  
"Why iz zat, Monsieur Drunk?" Harle teased. Guile rolled his eyes at the comment.  
  
"We'll need to get it off Draggy, that's why," he said with a smirk. With that he twirled his rod around to have it come to rest floating in front of him. "I'll do it for three quarters."  
  
"Non, one quarter."  
  
"Two-thirds."  
  
"Half."  
  
"Deal," agreed Guile, as they shook. With that they found the baby dragon sunbathing on a rock.  
  
"Hey, little guy," Guile said, dripping with friendliness.  
  
"Hey, drrrunk," greeted Draggy. "What do you want?"  
  
"Just to play a little game, my friend," Guile reassured him. With that he bent over by Harle's ear and whispered, "On my mark, take your dagger and cut. We'll be in and out lickety-split." Harle nodded to indicate she understood.  
  
"Let's have a little tongue sticking out contest," Guile said, flashing his smile. "The longest tongue wins."  
  
The little dragon laughed. "You can't beat, Drrraggy. But I agrrree."  
  
Guile went first and stuck out his puny human tongue. Draggy roared with laughter. Then, Draggy went, sticking out the full length of his tongue. Guile looked right at Harle and nodded.  
  
Before Draggy knew what was happening, Guile had grabbed hold of his tongue and Harle was bearing down on it with her dagger. Draggy freaked out at this sight. He belched a huge burst of fire, singing his two assailants. Guile and Harle then took cover behind a nearby rock, slightly burned. Draggy continued his onslaught, throwing fireball after fireball.  
  
"This is going to take a little longer than I initially thought," Guile sighed, as he slapped out the mini-fires that had ignited on his clothing. "Wait here," he told Harle. He then went out to face the dragon.  
  
"Relax, buddy, all we want is your tongue..." he said. Then there were a few sounds of battle before all grew quiet again.  
  
Guile and Harle walked back into the kitchen, holding the dragon's tongue out in front of them.  
  
"We 'ave got ze ingredients, Mademoiselle Leena," Harle said, showing Leena all that she needed.  
  
As Leena was doling out the payment, she came across the long tongue.  
  
"What's this?" she asked, apparently confused.  
  
"Zat is ze dragon tongue you requested, non?" Harle wondered.  
  
"I didn't ask for a dragon tongue," said Leena, exasperated. "I said lizard tongues and dragon clippings. So where did you get..." she stopped, reality dawning on her.  
  
Guile just shrugged to them both. "Oops."  
  
"Well, I guess I'll set the table for one less," Leena reasoned. "But next time if you can't read my writing, ask me before you off someone else."  
  
With that they had a good laugh. And everyone remarked that the night's stew was Leena's best yet. She just smiled demurely, wondering how many compliments some hearty mushroom stew might garner her...  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 16 – Norris (S), Pierre (K)  
  
Norris woke up with a spring in his step. He went to wash up and then searched around for a clean t-shirt and pants. Finding them, he put them on and left his tent with a smile on his face. Today was going to be a good day. Today he was going to play football.  
  
Shortly after arriving on the island, Norris was a little appalled by the increasing apathy that had afflicted most of the adventurers. Whereas once they would not settle for an hour of lollygagging around, now everyone just seemed not to care. It was then that he came upon the idea of forming an athletic league (deemed the Survivor Athletic League, or SAL for short). In the beginning it was difficult to get people to sign up, but he soon had the support of everyone on the island (save Lynx, who refused to associate with the "idiots").  
  
There was a bit of arguing over which sport they should play first. Zoah wanted to play volleyball. Irenes voted for water polo. Radius opted for golf. Funguy was dying to play basketball. Finally, Norris decided on football (thanks in part to his acquisition of a good ball, courtesy of Harle, although the coloring reminded him slightly of Draggy, but he didn't know why). He explained the rules to everyone last night, and after a little practice, people really started to get the hang of it. Everyone agreed to meet out by the beach at 9 AM sharp.  
  
Norris found all the adventurers at the beach, although some looked downright groggy and nasty. And Serge was flat out sleeping. He gave everyone the once-over and went about the process of choosing an opposing captain.  
  
"OK, I'm thinking of a number in my head, between 1 and 50," Norris called out. He was hit by a barrage of responses then.  
  
"Six."  
  
"Nine."  
  
"Threeve."  
  
"Horsey."  
  
"Quiet!" shouted Norris, a little flustered. "Let's do this one by one, first person to get the number is the captain." He went down the line and it was none other than Pierre who guessed the correct number.  
  
"OK, Pierre, I'm in a good mood, so you can choose your team first," Norris indicated. "Pick eleven players. Guile and Riddel agreed to be the refs, but anyone else on the field is fair game." Steena, in addition to Lynx, however, was strangely absent.  
  
"Oui, I choose Zoah," Pierre picked.  
  
"Alright, I'll take Greco," Norris countered.  
  
The choosing went back and forth until all the teams were formed. Norris' team consisted of himself, Doc, Greco, Orlha, Funguy, Karsh, Janice, Zappa, Harle, Razzly, and Pip. They called themselves "Team Cool". Pierre's team was himself, Fargo, Zoah, Miki, Grobyc, Nikki, Kid, Radius, Leena, Starky, and Leah. They called themselves "Team Cooler than Team Cool". Norris wasn't amused. Irenes, Marcy, Luccia, and Serge (still sleeping) sat out on the sidelines as general reserves and to watch the clock and keep score.  
  
Norris and Pierre met each other in the middle of the playing area for the coin toss. Pierre, as the visiting team, called heads. It came up tails. 'Get used to losing, sissy boy,' thought Norris. Norris opted to receive in the second half, though.  
  
Both teams lined up and Janice took her position behind the ball. As soon as Guile blew the whistle, she booted the ball toward the other side. It was fielded by Leena at the 15. Seeing the opposition running at her at full force, she cried "Oh crap!" and lateraled the ball to Grobyc, who then took off like a machine. He got out to midfield before Zappa finally brought him down.  
  
Team Cool jumped out to an early lead thanks to a pair of touchdowns. One was a play action pass from Norris to Harle for 55 yards. The other one was Greco barreling through no less than 6 people on a brilliant 5 yard running play. The quarter ended on a bit of a sour note, though, as Doc was hit in the head by an ensuing punt, and Kid scooped the ball up and ran it into the endzone for a nice score.  
  
The second quarter was Team Cooler than Team Cool's (TCTC for short) turn to shine. Radius lofted a hail mary, which was snagged out of the air by Starky for a score. Capitalizing on this momentum, TCTC scored on their next two possessions. Team Cool was in a 14-28 hole by the time halftime rolled around.  
  
"I can't believe you guys!" shouted Norris, in his team area. "You're letting them run all over us! Razzly, you left Starky wide open numerous times. I want you to cover him like glue!"  
  
"Tee-hee, I'm sorry," apologized Razzly. "I'll try harder-hee."  
  
"And you," Norris groaned, pointing at Orlha, "are giving their quarterback way too much time. I want you to blitz and blitz hard! Pressure people! Pressure the pass!!"  
  
"Hey, we're not the only ones to blame, cap," Orlha said, scathing. "Someone had two perfectly good interceptions in the endzone that were dropped."  
  
"Look, I'm not trying to point fingers, but we need to step our gameplay up a notch. We have to show TCTC that we mean business. Right?!"  
  
"Right!!!" everyone responded. Team Cool then got in a circle.  
  
"On the count of three, everyone say 'Bring It'," Norris instructed. "One, two, three..."  
  
"Bring It!!!" Team Cool shouted as one. They all ran back out onto the beach, fired up for the second half.  
  
Team Cool came out with all guns firing. Harle grabbed the kickoff at her own 10, and seeing an opening with Greco and Zappa blocking up front for her, flipped and dodged around to finally find herself in the endzone. The rest of the quarter was a stalemate until it was third and 5 on TCTC's 40.  
  
"Do you think you can nail it?" Norris asked Janice.  
  
"No sweat," the demi-human rabbit replied. "These feet of mine haven't failed me yet!" With that, they lined up in formation. Zappa snapped the ball to Karsh, who brought it down laces out just in time, as Janice connected with the ball to send it sailing through the uprights for an amazing 57-yard field goal. Team Cool was only behind by 4 now.  
  
By the fourth quarter it was getting hot out there and tempers were flaring up. Serge had finally woken up and replaced Doc, who didn't seem to have a clue what was going on (Doc just shrugged and ran into the surf). Radius got trucked by Funguy and had the wind knocked out of him, so Luccia subbed in for him. Both teams played their hearts out and it was still 28-24 in favor of TCTC by the time the two-minute warning came around.  
  
"This is it," Norris told his team in the huddle. "This next possession will make or break us. Who wants the ball?" he asked. As he looked around, no one seemed to want to accept the responsibility. Finally, Serge looked up, a wide grin on his face.  
  
"That's what I thought," Norris smiled back. "You want the ball." With that Team Cool broke. Serge lined up on the outside, with Kid covering him. Norris nodded toward Serge.  
  
"Twenty-six, eighty-three, forty-seven, hut!" Norris yelled. With that, Serge took off like a banshee and blew right by Kid. Norris knew he was golden and fired a gorgeous spiral his way. Right before he could make contact with it, Grobyc, playing free safety, hit him hard.  
  
"Hey, that's a foul, ref!" shouted Karsh.  
  
Riddel looked at Guile for confirmation. Guile was staring into the sky.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked Guile.  
  
"What does that cloud look like to you?" he said back.  
  
"I don't know," she responded.  
  
"No, you wouldn't," Guile agreed. "But to me, it looks like...rain! HA HA HA! Everyone says I'm the funniest guy here! They say I should do stand-up! HA HA!"  
  
Riddel rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "Pass interference, on the defense. The ball will be spotted at the 20. First down."  
  
Team Cool was so close now, they had to score. Norris was thinking of throwing to Serge again, but decided against it. They would be expecting it. Suddenly, he had an idea. He pulled Pip aside and had a little chat. Pip nodded his head in understanding afterwards and Norris chuckled.  
  
Pip lined up to the right of Norris. Across from him was Fargo, showing blitz. Karsh snapped the ball to Norris and right before Fargo could make a move Pip shouted "It's mowphin' time!" and transformed into a huge demon form. He slammed into Fargo, creating a path for Norris, who dashed through for a score. Team Cool cheered. They were now up 31-28, but there was still 0:10 left.  
  
"This is it, fellas!" Norris said. "Whatever you do, don't let them score!" Everyone nodded in understanding.  
  
Janice let loose on the ball and it went all the way into TCTC's endzone. They weren't going down easily though. Pierre caught it and began to run it out. His entire team was blocking for him and he seemed to find holes where no one else thought to look. He made it all the way down to Team Cool's 20. It was all up to Norris now.  
  
Pierre went straight and Norris moved to intercept him. At the last second, Pierre juked to the right. Norris almost grabbed a hold of him before Pierre cut back to the left. Norris went down in a heap, tripping on his own feet, as he could only watch helplessly as Pierre showboated into the endzone.  
  
"Oui, look at me, stupid man," Pierre taunted. "I am the true hero!"  
  
'I hoped it wasn't going to come to this,' thought Norris, 'but I will not be beaten by some idiotic Frenchman!' He then fished around in his pockets and found the little thing he was looking for. He bit something off with his teeth and threw it at Pierre.  
  
Pierre watched the falling object, while he stood still at the 1-yard line. Transfixed, he wondered, "What is this?" That was his last thought, though, as the active grenade collided with the swordsman. In a deafening boom, only a pair of shoes and a ridiculous blonde toupee remained where Pierre once stood. The fumble rolled around unclaimed at the 1-yard line.  
  
"Anyone else want to be a hero?" asked Norris. The rest of TCTC shook their heads. That was the game. Team Cool had won. As they celebrated, Norris couldn't help but think to himself 'God, I love this game' as his teammates carried him off on their shoulders in jubilation.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 17 – Luccia (S), Razzly (K)  
  
Luccia was hard at work in her tent, trying to develop her latest invention. She remembered how fatigued and hot everyone had gotten during the game yesterday. As she was playing, an idea dawned on her. Why not make a sports drink to give people more energy for physical activity? She set up her lab in the tent that night and got right to work.  
  
It was a grueling ordeal, but after working 16 hours straight (best to ride out the wave of genius when it hits, she reasoned), she felt she was close to having a completed product. With the last few drops coming out of solution, she gathered the liquid in a flask and held it up to the light. The drink was of a greenish tint and smelled faintly of dust, but that meant it would be strong, she reasoned.  
  
"Von small svig for me, von giant step for profit," she said aloud, before quaffing the whole mixture.  
  
After having consumed it all with a grimace, Luccia felt the same as when she had started, but figured she would give it some time. She waited one minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. Fifteen. One hour. Nothing felt different.  
  
"Drat!" she spat. "All this vork for nothing! I must go back to the draving board now!"  
  
Luccia's shouting was interrupted by a knock on her tent. It was Harle and Razzly. Apparently Harle had a package for Luccia. Razzly, on the other hand, was just plain bored, so she decided to see what the mad scientist was cooking up.  
  
"Package, for Mademoiselle Luccia," announced Harle.  
  
"Who is it from?" asked Luccia, surprised, as she was not expecting a package from anyone today.  
  
"Mademoiselle Orlha," Harle replied. "She said it iz a little somet'ing to take the edge off. Make sure zere are no hard feelingz from yesterday." Harle handed Luccia the package and after collecting her payment, left the tent.  
  
"What's in the paper-hee?" asked Razzly, in a high pitched squeak.  
  
"I don't know," replied Luccia. She unwrapped the paper to find a bottle with a syrupy brown liquid inside it. Attached was a little note. It read "From Team Cool to TCTC. Hope there's no hard feelings for yesterday. Made some of my special brew to ease the pain. Love, Orlha."  
  
Luccia uncorked the bottle and took a smell. She was assaulted by a strong odor that nearly knocked her shoes off. Whatever was in there, it was powerful, Luccia thought.  
  
"I vonder..." she said to herself. Curiosity then got the best of her. She walked over to her miniature lab and poured some of the drink into her mixture. There was a slight sizzling sound, and then the liquid was still once again.  
  
"What's going on?" questioned Razzly.  
  
"I am vorking on a special drink. It vill give people much strength. However, not'ing has happened yet."  
  
"Can I try-hee?" requested Razzly. "It has a sweet smell to it." Luccia wondered at this, but then took a sniff of it herself. The little fairy was right. The mixture had changed from its previous musky odor to one of a pleasant variety.  
  
"Vell, let me get some ready, and you shall be my test fairy. Oh ho ho ho!" laughed Luccia. She took some out of solution. It had changed color from its former pale green to vibrant yellow. 'Interesting,' Luccia thought.  
  
"Here you go," she said, as Razzly grabbed the outstretched flask. She swallowed it all at once.  
  
"YYuuummmm...delicious-hee!" squealed Razzly in delight. "I feel great. Like I could fly to the top of mountains and touch the sun!"  
  
"Really?" prodded Luccia. "It appears that my drink vas successful then! I am the great Luccia!"  
  
"AAAAhhhhhh!" Razzly shrieked. She was holding her insides like they were on fire. Luccia looked back at the lab to see smoke rising from the mixture as it bubbled violently. Razzly was in apparent pain and getting redder by the minute.  
  
"Luccia, what's happening to meee-heee?! I feel like I could..." was the last Razzly could get out before she popped like a top. Bits of fairy went everywhere as Luccia was shocked at the reaction that had developed. What was even more amazing was there now seemed to be a thick blue goo everywhere.  
  
Luccia bent down and examined some of the viscous substance in her hand. She then dropped it into the still bubbling solution and watched it instantly calm down. The color also turned clear and bubbles slowly came up out of it.  
  
"Vat do ve have here?" Luccia inquired, fascinated.  
  
That night everyone took full advantage of the Luccia's new drink. Although it wasn't the sports drink she had originally set out to create, it was a unique taste experience. She had almost exhausted her free samples and soon she would be ready to take orders. She still hadn't settled on a name for it yet, but after consulting a few connoisseurs, she finally went with the most fitting name: "Sprite".  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 18 – Harle (S), Radius (K)  
  
Radius was out taking a walk in the woods. He wondered about the events that had happened recently. Just last night he encountered a hooded figure when he was taking his nightly walk. He had reached out to attack the figure but only ended up pulling out a few strands of long hair.  
  
Harle happened to be passing by to deliver a package to Steena. Everyone was really worried that she wasn't at the football game, so Harle was delivering some of Leena's home cooking and some of Luccia's new drink.  
  
Radius was staring at the hair in his hand. It seemed somehow familiar... Then Harle bumped into him.  
  
"What was zat for!" Harle exclaimed. "Vous 'ave made moi drop ze package for Mademoiselle Steena!"  
  
"I am extremely sorry," said Radius. "I was in deep thought. Do you know whose hair this is?" Radius held up the long hair.  
  
"Non, I do not know," replied Harle, who was getting quite angry that she had dropped he package.  
  
"I'll help you pick every thing up," offered Radius.  
  
"I no longer need your help!" exclaimed Harle. "Vous etes tres stupide! You should watch where you are going..."  
  
Harle pulled out her darts. "Vous deserve zis. Now die." Harle threw her darts at Radius, who managed to dodge the first one but got hit the second time.  
  
"You think that could hurt me?" asked Radius "I was once a master dragoon. I..." Radius fell over dead.  
  
"Zat was my poison coated dart, Radius. It can instantly kill a person. Au revoir, Radius." Harle picked up the package she had dropped. She also grabbed the hair in Radius' hand. "Zis could be useful," she said as she walked away, not noticing the mysterious hooded figure watching her.  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 19 – Leena (S), Starky (K)  
  
Harle knelt behind the bushes, silently observing the person about 20 feet in front of her leaning against a tree. She tightly held the strands of hair in her red gloved hand. The person in front of her had its back to her and seemed to be concentrating on something. The long braided hair swayed in the wind...  
  
'Hmmm...' Harle thought. 'Could it be...?'  
  
Harle continued to stare while the longhaired person continued to think. A glimmering, colorful rod floated in midair to the right...  
  
"Harle!" A voice called out, startling both the observer and the one being observed. In a flash of white, the longhaired person was gone. Harle pocketed the hair strands and turned around to confront the intruder, not at all pleased.  
  
"Mademoiselle Leena, pleaze don't do zat!" The jester shouted, catching her breath.  
  
Leena immediately looked apologetic and bowed. "I'm sorry for startling you, Harle, but I've got a few things for you to pick up for me. Some of these are very rare ingredients, so I'm going to pay you double to bring these to me. And this time I've written it in the unsmearable ink Luccia made for me, so we shouldn't have a situation like the other day." Leena handed Harle the list.  
  
"Alright, I'll be back soon." Harle was about to teleport away when Leena stopped her, curiosity getting the best of her.  
  
"Uh, what were you doing over by those bushes when I found you?"  
  
"You do not need to know, Mademoiselle Leena. Do not worry about zat." And Harle disappeared before Leena could say anything more. Leena walked back to her tent to prepare the night's meal.  
  
Thirty minutes later...  
  
"Mademoiselle Leena, I have returned wit ze ingredients you requested," Harle announced, entering Leena's tent with a bag of rare ingredients such as frog lips, tiger whiskers, and eagle beaks; the stuff that makes her food taste so delicious. The girl next door/cook put down her butcher's knife and accepted the bag.  
  
"Ah, thank you very much, Harle. Here is your payment as promised."  
  
"Ze pleazure was mine." The jester left the tent.  
  
Leena sorted through the bag and took out the frog lips. She cut them into small pieces and put them into a boiling pot of water. The addition of the frog lips turned the water to a sickly shade of yellow and the soup emitted a repugnant odor. She then took out the eagle beaks, ground them into a powder, and sprinkled them into the pot. The water remained the same color but the smell improved drastically. Leena then carefully uncorked the bottle of tiger whiskers and dropped them into the mix. The soup bubbled, fizzed, and foamed for ten seconds before it calmed down. The color changed to an ever so slightly more appealing green color. Leena grabbed her wooden spoon and began stirring.  
  
"It won't be long now. Everyone is going to love this!" Leena could barely contain her excitement.  
  
"Ha ha! Youu can't catch mee!" A much too cute voice giggled as its source ran into the tent, closely followed by its pursuer.  
  
"You can't escape fwom me dat easily," the equally too cute voice of the pursuer retorted.  
  
"Hey, Starky, Pip, get out of here now! I'm cooking a very delicious meal and I don't want it to be ruined!" Leena had her hands on her hips and looked ready to boil herself.  
  
Unfortunately, Starky slipped and started tumbling toward the stove. He crashed into the base of it with a mighty "bang!" One of the legs of the stove broke and it tilted to the side. The boiling pot of soup slid off the top of the stove and crashed to the ground. The vein on Leena's forehead doubled in size.  
  
"Pip, please get out of the tent," Leena said in an eerily calm voice.  
  
"But..." Pip started to protest.  
  
"NOW!!!" Leena screamed.  
  
All was silent for a few seconds until the echo subsided. Then Pip quickly made a dash for the exit in fear for his life.  
  
"Now, Starky..." Leena's voice became eerily calm again as she turned around to face the alien, who was backing himself into a corner. "Do you realize what you have done?"  
  
"Um..." Starky began shakily.  
  
"YOU RUINED MY SOUP!!!" Leena's vein was on the bursting point. She whipped out her weapon of choice, the Crystalpan C6, and advanced on Starky, who was already trapped in a corner. "NOW...DIE!!!" Starky, with no choice, whipped out his own weapon of choice: the Spectral Gun. He fired repeatedly at the raging cook, but she blocked with her rainbow cookware, reflecting the blasts. Leena took one mighty swing and brought her trusty pan onto the alien's helmet. It shattered instantly.  
  
"AAHH!! Not Oxygeen!! The pressure!! It's too greeat!!" Starky's head expanded at an alarming rate until it exploded into alien bits and pieces.  
  
Leena bent over the dead body and picked up a few chucks of Starky. A smile grew on her face.  
  
Later that evening...  
  
"Mmm!"  
  
"Delicious!"  
  
"So luscious!"  
  
The group was seated around the dinner table in bliss. Leena had another "smashing" hit meal. She called them "Starburgers".  
  
**By: TenkoStar17**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 20 – Lynx (S), Zoah (K)  
  
Zoah was striding down the path back to the campsite after a good round of physical exertion. He was just returning from a rousing game of volleyball through SAL, as Norris fashioned another sports ball. The mammoth hadn't played up to his full potential, as his other teammates blamed it on his lack of peripheral vision from the helmet he wore. Despite their complaints though, he refused to drop the headgear.  
  
"WHAT DO THEY TAKE ME FOR?" Zoah asked himself aloud in a whisper, which still carried in his booming voice. "TO TAKE OFF MY HELMET WOULD BE AKIN TO PLAYING NAKED. I WOULD FEEL EXPOSED."  
  
The other players had returned to the tents right away, but Zoah needed to blow off some steam, so he jumped into the surf. After a little wading (he wasn't too good of a swimmer), the last hours of daylight began to fade. It was well on its way to being dusk by the time Zoah decided to head back and he was all alone.  
  
As Zoah reached the outskirts of the camp, he ran by Steena's tent first. She had been real sick lately and had not left her tent for a few days. Everyone hoped it wasn't due to some highly contagious island fever, as then the area would have to be quarantined off.  
  
"POOR WOMAN," Zoah said. "SHE LACKS THE TOUGHNESS OF YOURS TRULY. I DO WISH HER WELL, THOUGH."  
  
Suddenly, the tent flap began to move aside. Zoah's spirits picked up as it seemed the chieftain had recovered sufficient strength for tonight. He decided he would escort her to the dinner table then, as it would only be proper.  
  
"MISTRESS STEENA, GOOD TO SEE YOU ARE WELL..." Zoah trailed off as the person who exited the tent was not who he expected. It was none other than Lynx.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, FELINE ONE?" the fighter questioned.  
  
"I do not have to answer your inane queries, buffoon. What I was doing here is absolutely none of your business," Lynx practically snarled. He then attempted to exit into the forest when Zoah blocked his way.  
  
"I DO NOT THINK I CAN LET YOU DO THAT," Zoah thundered. "I SENSE DANGER FROM YOU AND I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO PASS WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION."  
  
"I was merely worried for the poor woman's health," Lynx said, his face stretching into a perverted smile. "It is not her time yet, so I was administering a healing potion. She should be feeling much better come tomorrow."  
  
Zoah's eyebrows rose at this obvious lie, but due to his helmet, they were not seen. "I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU, DEMI-HUMAN. YOU CARE OF NO ONE BUT YOURSELF. NOW, TELL THE TRUTH."  
  
"I told you all that you should know. Now exit out of my way or things may get nasty," Lynx spat as he attempted to push his way through.  
  
"NO!" shouted Zoah. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" And with that he brought his fist around and into Lynx's face. Despite all his reflexes, Lynx was caught off- guard and sent reeling backwards with a resounding "Crack!". His nose was obviously broken and there was blood flowing freely down his face, as his tongue darted out to lick it up.  
  
"That, my mammoth simpleton, was a mistake," Lynx said, ever so calmly. "While it is not time for Steena to depart, I have no need for you." Lynx then took out his hook and focused his energy in on himself. His body was bathed in a green glow as his broken face shifted itself back to normal right then and there, leaving no trace of the injury he had just sustained.  
  
"I WILL NOT FALL TO THE LIKES OF YOU," Zoah declared. With that he swung again at Lynx.  
  
Lynx was ready this time, however, and he nimbly ducked to the side. He also brought his hook around, cutting into Zoah's arm and leaving a trail of blood. The cat-man then reversed his weapon and aimed for Zoah's midgut, hoping to eviscerate him and end this confrontation. For all of Zoah's size, though, he was quicker than people gave him credit for. His other hand came down quick and caught on to the handle of Lynx's hook, halting it in midswing.  
  
"HA," Zoah said, triumphant. Lynx paid him no heed though, as he vaulted over the man and brought his heel around into Zoah's back, bringing him to his knees. Zoah released his grip on Lynx's hook, but rolled to the side as he anticipated a strike coming down. His maneuver was rewarded when the hook embedded itself into the dirt where he was half a second earlier.  
  
"What do you hope to accomplish?" Lynx asked. "You have the interrogation skills of a donkey. Before you turn into a total ass, you should just give up and return back to camp. If you go now I will let you live. Otherwise, there will be another fatality on this accursed island."  
  
"NO," replied Zoah, as he lunged at Lynx yet again.  
  
"Very well. I gave you your chance. Now I shall enjoy killing you," Lynx stated matter-of-factly. He easily ambled around Zoah's arms and brought his hook around and into the mammoth's shoulder. Zoah howled in pain and backed off a little. Lynx wasn't finished though. He slammed his blade home into Zoah's side and ripped it free at an angle, trailing blood all over the ground.  
  
"YOU FIGHT WELL," Zoah remarked in obvious pain and breathing hard, "BUT I WILL NOT GO DOWN!"  
  
He bore down on Lynx with his trusty helmet. Lynx went for Zoah's legs, cutting off a few chunks of flesh, but it did not halt the bigger man's charge. His metal noggin caught Lynx squarely in the chest, as the feline demi-human rolled with the impact. Coming out of his back somersault, he suddenly disappeared from view.  
  
"WHERE HAVE YOU RUN OFF TO?" wondered Zoah. His question was soon answered, as Lynx came gliding in from behind. His weapon tore into Zoah's back and punctured a kidney. Zoah howled in pain.  
  
"Awwww...is the poor buffoon going to cry? I'll be sure to weep tears of joy upon your demise," Lynx openly laughed. With that he disappeared from view a second time.  
  
"NOT...AGAIN..." Zoah stuttered. This time he knew what to expect and caught his attacker out of the corner of his eye. Summoning up all his strength reserves, he launched himself into the air, above the gliding form of Lynx. Once he reached his peak height, he aimed directly for Lynx and put all his weight and the added effect of gravity into his fists. Lynx was rudely jarred out of the air and brought down to the ground in a heap.  
  
"WE DEVAS DO NOT GIVE IN," Zoah said, as he landed next to the crumpled form of Lynx. He kicked it with his shoe, as it then dematerialized. Zoah was shocked as he again looked around.  
  
"Yes, but you also do not study your enemy very well," a voice said from above. Lynx was in a nearby tree with a wide grin on his face. His eyes closed in concentration. While he was doing this, audible growls emanated from the thick forest. Zoah backed up a few steps and then charged toward the tree.  
  
"Hah!" Lynx shouted, his call for aid answered. Suddenly dozens of panthers ran out of the forest and at Zoah. The fighter's charge did not halt, but instead picked up speed. The cats slashed and gashed at the running man, but could not halt his movement. After a few seconds they vanished into thin air. Zoah was almost upon the tree now.  
  
"So be it," Lynx sighed, as he braced himself for impact.  
  
Zoah hit into the tree with a resounding thud and pushed with all his might. First one root snapped, then another, and another until the entire tree lost its foundation. It began to teeter and then finally resigned itself to the ground and toppled over. Lynx rolled to the side, but not before a branch snagged his shirt, tearing a hole in one of the pockets. Out dropped a shining item. Lynx again assumed a ready position, but soon followed Zoah's gaze at what had spilled out of his pocket.  
  
"IS THAT...?" Zoah attempted to say, his words catching in his throat. He was badly beaten, bruised, and bleeding from a cornucopia of wounds, but as a testament to his strength, still standing.  
  
"Yes, it is," Lynx answered. "But now that you have seen it, I cannot allow you to tell others. You must disappear." He then began to concentrate.  
  
"NO, YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED..." Zoah began, but his words had no weight. Lynx opened his eyes and the ground beneath Zoah began to distort and warp itself. Dozens of tiny green hands grabbed at his legs, but still Zoah trudged on. They were then joined by larger red arms, which grabbed onto Zoah's torso and arms. Struggling, panic began to rise in the mammoth's head as he realized where these denizens were coming from. He fought in vain, as he was held fast.  
  
"Au revoir," said Lynx coldly, as a huge black tentacle joined the misshapen hands and wrapped itself around Zoah. He screamed as he was pulled under, but it was muffled by the appendage over his helmet. After he was dragged below, the ground again warped and returned to normal.  
  
"Be sure to say 'Hi' to Mephisto for me," Lynx said to the air. He grinned so wide that his teeth practically gleamed in the moonlight. He then bent down to pick up the fallen object and made not another sound as he dashed off into the forest, quiet as a cat.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	5. Darkness Gathers, Rounds 21 through 25

More fights, more death, and more plot advancement. Also, included here is Vancewynd's first and last story for us, as he disappeared shortly after this. And before anyone gets angry as to why some favorites disappeared, well that's the way the cookie crumbles. The GameFAQs users voted on it. The writing team just gave the outcomes life. Stay tune for more updates, as we are trying to get them out as soon as we can.

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Round 21 - Serge (S), Greco (K)  
  
Serge woke up with a pounding headache and in an unfamiliar position. His legs were twisted around his sleeping bag, and his hands were gripping clumps of dirt with fists so tight that his knuckles were white. The silent character sighed, as this was becoming the norm as of late. He put his bandanna on and, after washing his face, went over to see what the others were up to.  
  
'It's not so much the headache and constant grogginess that bothers me,' Serge thought to himself. 'The main problem is that I haven't been able to remember the past few nights for well over a week now. I don't know what I have done and that really scares me. Screams always follow me to sleep.' With that Serge visibly shuddered.  
  
He soon walked toward the general group, and overheard Norris and some others planning another SAL game. This one was called "kickball" and involved a rubbery type ball that Norris had made along with Luccia and Miki the other day. Serge really admired the military man's enthusiasm and sense of loyalty. He also had a competitive spirit that Serge could relate to.  
  
Serge followed the others and indicated that he would like to join in the sport. They graciously granted his request and he entered into the game with a wide grin on his face. Games were an escape for Serge, as it let his mind live in the moment and stop worrying about what he could not remember.  
  
The sport went on well past lunch and into dusk. They had played a total of three games and were currently on their fourth. Serge hadn't won one yet, making him a little cranky, as his competitive side got the best of him. His team was down to its final out and had one chance to take this last game from Norris' team. Serge was up to kick, and he booted the ball way into the end of the playing area. Greco was on first and ran as soon as he saw Serge make contact with the ball, but the swifter villager quickly caught up to him. The lumbering wrestler was slowing Serge down, but he had to wait for him to move first as he was the leader. Finally, the race to home plate was almost complete when Greco stumbled and fell. Serge came down on top of him and just sighed to himself when Janice tagged them both out.  
  
The teams went down the line and gave each other a handshake for a good game. Serge had to admit they played well, but he hated losing. For a second he could almost sense mocking in the opposing team's eyes, but he soon realized his head was playing tricks on him. After going down the line, Serge sat down and kept to himself for a little.  
  
"Can I help you, amigo?" Greco asked.  
  
Serge shook his head no, still looking forlorn.  
  
"Maybe a little walk will do your cabeza good. Come on," the wrestler said as he pulled Serge to his feet. It had gotten quite dark and Serge was getting hungry. He resigned himself to the company of the burly man and started the trek back to the camp. A hooded figure observed all this in the distance and trailed the pair, making not a sound.  
  
"Don't worry, ese, we'll get them next time," Greco reassured Serge. "No soy un perdedor. Remember that."  
  
'We would have won if it wasn't for your bumble,' Serge vented in his head. Off in the distance the hooded figure took out its rod and a mysterious shiny item. It brought its rod up to the item and tapped on it a few times.  
  
"He wanted you to lose," the hooded figure whispered to the item.  
  
'Hey, wait a second, maybe that play was on purpose,' Serge reasoned as his eyebrows rose in alarm. 'People are always out to get me. They don't give me the respect I deserve.'  
  
"No one likes you. They all hate you," whispered the figure again.  
  
'Hey, I mean I busted my tail to make this world a better place!' Serge stamped his foot in ire, causing Greco to turn around at the sight. 'They don't appreciate anything! They are all out to get me! Every last one of them!'  
  
"Is something wrong, amigo?" Greco asked, as he got closer.  
  
'I could just kill them all now!' Serge screamed in his head. 'I'll show them! I alone am powerful! I could shake the very foundations of the Earth! I stopped the Time Devourer and I could just as easily stop everyone on this island!'  
  
"This is good," whispered the figure. "The negativity is enough. Now to flip the switch."  
  
The hooded figure then bent over its item and held the rod to it in intense concentration. After a brief moment it whispered a command: "Awake."  
  
At this, Serge began to feel a familiar, yet alien, buzzing in his head. It began to grow more and more in intensity as he clutched his hands to the side of his head. It began to feel like a curtain of red was being draped over his eyes, and nothing looked the same anymore. Everything looked...like an enemy.  
  
"Is there something I can help you with, Serge? Pobrecito! You look terrible," Greco said, concern in his voice. The next thing that happened was so chilling that it froze the blood in the wrestler's heart and sent shivers down his spine.  
  
Serge looked up, his eyes no longer the blue they were a few seconds ago. Now they were blood red. Straining to hold himself back, he took one look at Greco and gathered his last ounce of control to do one thing. He opened his lips and did the unthinkable. "Run," Serge whispered.  
  
Greco stumbled backwards at hearing the mime speak. It took a while for his legs to get moving, but once they did, he ran ahead, letting his adrenaline push him. He did not dare to look back. Behind him Serge let a wide grin play across his face.  
  
'You cannot escape my wrath, big man,' Serge thought. 'I will find you and pay you back for your treachery.' Serge then concentrated and rose into the air.  
  
Greco was soon panting and out of breath. He hadn't heard Serge for a good minute or so.  
  
"Maybe I have lost him," Greco panted to himself. He tried to move forward again, but his legs wouldn't budge. The wrestler was simply drained. Suddenly there was a screech in the woods behind and he jerked around. What he saw next was so unexpected that he couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
There was an outline of a huge demon in the sky. It seemed to be sniffing the air for something. Large, fat, and a sickly yellow, its very presence was daunting, but it did not appear to be solid, as Greco could see right through it. The demon stopped right in front of him and sniffed the air. It then fixed its eyes right on Greco and screeched, pointing with its hands at him. Greco covered his ears at the sound.  
  
Serge then came streaking through the air, actually flying! He was making a dive right for Greco and not slowing down in the least. Greco brought his hands up in a feeble attempt to halt Serge's momentum, but it was like trying to stop a snowstorm with a match. Serge barreled into Greco and, with one swipe of his swallow, separated the wrestler's head from his body. Blood sprayed everywhere as Serge craned his neck back and laughed long and hard into the night.  
  
"Yes, revel in the kill," the hooded figure whispered, watching the scene intently. Suddenly a lithe form materialized out of thin air, startling the hooded figure.  
  
"Zis 'as gone on long enough," Harle warned. "Zis ends now." With that she lunged at the hooded figure and went for his hood. He moved to the side though, and all her hand could grab was a tiny silver mask.  
  
"This ends when I say it does," the hooded figure replied. "And there is still much work to be done." With that, he disappeared. Harle looked over again at the cackling Serge, feeling queasy.  
  
"Non, I 'ave seen enough," she said to herself, before teleporting away into the night.  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 22 - Harle (S), Funguy (K)  
  
Harle was up early this morning. After the past couple nights, she was getting worried about the state of the island. After her encounter with the hooded figure last night, she knew something bad was happening, and she needed to stop it.  
  
She had found a note on the floor of her tent written in barely legible handwriting. It looked like a prescription for a drug...it must have been written by Doc. All she could make out was something about mushrooms...  
  
Harle went to go look for a mushroom. She had thought she had seen one over by Steena's tent. She needed to check on Steena anyway, so she headed that way.  
  
To her surprise Steena was actually outside of her tent. "Mademoiselle Steena, it iz nice to see zat you are well..."  
  
"Oh, I feel so full of energy!" exclaimed Steena.  
  
"Did vous get ze food I sent?" asked Harle.  
  
"I think I did," said Steena. "But I really do not remember very much of the past couple days. I think someone gave me medicine to make me feel better...But I cannot remember who."  
  
"Have vous seen a mushroom around 'ere?" asked Harle.  
  
"Mushroom? Oh, Funguy was chopping wood that way." Steena pointed south. "Would you happen to have any steak?"  
  
"Steak? Why do vous need steak?" asked Harle  
  
"I am hungry," explained Steena. "I want a steak. Rare, of course."  
  
Harle stared at Steena. "I better get going zen...Au revoir, Mademoiselle Steena."  
  
Harle went over to where Funguy was chopping wood. "Good morning, Monsieur Funguy."  
  
"Hello Harle, do you need anything today?"  
  
"Oui, I need a mushroom..."  
  
Funguy looked her in the eye. "So?"  
  
"Vous are the only mushroom I see. I will kill you for Doc's drugs."  
  
"No, don't kill me!" pleaded Funguy.  
  
Even though it was daylight, the moon appeared and eclipsed the sun. Somewhere in the distance, a cry was heard. "I am ze moon. Eclipse before moi!" Harle yelled. Suddenly, cool special effects came out of nowhere and engulfed Funguy, leaving nothing but his spores behind.  
  
Harle collected the spores and delivered them to Doc. It turned out he said that he didn't want Mushrooms, as he was tired of Funguy's spores. Oh well-- in a way, Doc got his wish. There were no longer any mushrooms on the island...  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 23 - Riddel (S), Marcy (K)  
  
Marcy had been getting worried about the events on the island. Slowly, one by one, everyone was being killed or mysteriously disappearing. She noticed that Serge had been acting strange recently.  
  
"A-ha!" exclaimed Marcy. "Like, that's it! Serge is the one responsible for all of this. I gotta go tell someone!"  
  
Marcy wasn't watching where she was going when she ran into Riddel. "Like, sorry Riddel. I wasn't watching where I was going."  
  
"It is alright," said Riddel. "But why are you running so fast?"  
  
"I gotta tell someone! Something weird is going on here, and I finally think I have figured out what it is!"  
  
"You can tell me, Marcy," said Riddel. "I will listen to whatever you have to say."  
  
"Okay, like you know how everyone is disappearing or dying?" Marcy started explaining. "Serge has also been acting...like...weird."  
  
"So what does that have to do with people dying?" asked Riddel.  
  
"I think Serge is the killer!" exclaimed Marcy. "But, I'm not sure on that, so don't tell everyone yet."  
  
"Are you sure it was Serge that killed everyone?" asked Riddel. "I know Norris killed Pierre...."  
  
"Well, I think he killed most of them. But not Glenn, I was the one who killed Glenn."  
  
"You did what?!" yelled Riddel. She started chanting an element.  
  
"Riddel, like, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that..." Marcy looked up. Two meteors were heading straight towards her. She started running. "Like, that was a big mistake," said Marcy, as the meteors crashed down.  
  
Marcy managed to avoid the first meteor, but the second one hit her on the head and she fell to the ground.  
  
"Marcy?" Riddel ran up to where Marcy's body was on the ground. "I did not mean to...it was an accident. She is not breathing...Somebody come quick!!!!"  
  
Karsh happened to hear Riddel scream and thought she had been attacked. "Riddel, what is it...what happened to Marcy?"  
  
"I killed her, Karsh..." sobbed Riddel. "She was trying to tell me about the weird stuff happening on the island. She killed Glenn and I overreacted at the news. I really did not mean to kill her--it was just a reflex. Karsh, everyone is gone--Glenn, Daddy, Zoah, Marcy...You are the only one left..."  
  
Karsh put his arm around the sobbing Riddel. "I'll protect you from whatever it is, Riddel. I'll keep you safe..."  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 24 - Janice (S), Kid (K)  
  
Kid, Miki, and Orlha were seated at a table and were gabbing the afternoon away. Eventually, the topic of the recent deaths was brought up.  
  
"Did you hear? Marcy was killed last night!" Miki said.  
  
"Yeah, that's so sad," Orlha sighed. "She was so young."  
  
"Very unfortunate and tragic," Miki agreed.  
  
"Who do you think will be the next to go?" Orlha pondered.  
  
Kid, who was silent for a while, spoke up, "I think it'll be Janice."  
  
Orlha raised her eyebrows, "Really, why do you say Janice, Kid?"  
  
"Janice just ain't very strong an' I think she'll break down."  
  
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the three girls, the demi-human in question was walking down the path on the opposite side of a tent, out of the view of the girls. She stopped in her tracks at the sound of her name. After a few seconds, she swiftly and silently sauntered off.  
  
"...I mean, she's a monster trainer, how strong must she be to be a monster trainer? She lets her monsters fight for her! Plus she's got a carrot for a weapon. A freakin' carrot!" Kid continued.  
  
"Excuse me," someone cleared their throat. "Kid, may I see you for a moment?" Janice appeared and was motioning for Kid to follow her.  
  
"Alright, Janice," Kid replied and followed the usually cheery demi-human. Janice didn't look too cheery now, Kid noticed. She figured that Janice heard her comments and wanted to talk about it.  
  
'She's probably gonna wanna talk and hope that I apologize. Kid doesn't apologize for statin' the truth!' Kid thought to herself.  
  
After they had walked a considerable distance from anyone else, they stopped.  
  
"Kid, I heard what you said about me, and I would like to challenge you to a battle!" Janice confidently proclaimed.  
  
"Wha...A battle?" Kid was baffled.  
  
"Yup! Accept or die!" Janice made her war cry. She briefly closed her eyes and suddenly the ground around Kid violently shook for several seconds.  
  
After it settled, Kid smirked, "That's all ya got! I was right! You are weak!" Kid laughed.  
  
"Really?" Janice contested. "Try hitting me, o strong one!"  
  
"You got it! Huh? I can't move!" Kid tried very hard, but she could not move her legs.  
  
"Ha ha! Exactly!" Janice pounded her carrot and produced a steady beat. A stream of water, like a geyser, rushed up from the ground and sent Kid toward the clouds. Ten seconds later, she landed back on the ground with a loud "Thump!"  
  
"Did you kiss the moons, Kid?" Janice looked down on the spaced-out Kid. "I'll show you my weak carrot. Take this!" Janice jumped up a tree and leaped down with her carrot pointed downward. The carrot crashed upon Kid's skull with such force that her body slumped to the ground, dead.  
  
"Weak carrot, huh? Looks like a weak carrot just killed you."  
  
**By: TenkoStar17**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 25 - Orlha (S), Karsh (K)  
  
Another day was dragging on, and the remaining people began to stagnate in each other's company. Tension was mounting and many were trying to find suitable ways of letting off steam. Karsh among those people, he took to Orlha's bar for a refresher today. It didn't take long for the drink to loosen up his gruff personality.  
  
"So, Orlha. You must have the men just lining up at your doorstep, being so beautiful." A slight slur was present in Karsh's voice.  
  
Quite used to this situation, it didn't break the pretty barmaid's stride. "I'd only give a chance to a man who could out-drink me," she claimed. "And you, my friend, have had enough."  
  
"What are you saying? I could drink you under the table, right now." No sober man had ever said that to Orlha if they knew anything at all about her. Karsh was pasted.  
  
Now this always irritated her. She made to tell him off, but then stopped for a moment and rethought it. "You know what? I'll take you up on that offer. It's been a bit slack for me lately. I need something to do, and watching you go down sounds just about right."  
  
Two other patrons, Miki and Nikki, had overheard and began to watch with mild interest.  
  
Nikki gave the duo a glance, then looked back to his partner. "What do you say, Miki? The dragonrider has got the spirit, but not the stomach. Willing to bet on him?"  
  
The lovely dancer gave him a shove. "Nikki, you know what can happen to gamblers. Besides, I'm not that dimwitted. We both know Orlha will win."  
  
Karsh was dimly aware of what they said and didn't like it. "Hey, you listen here, you buncha gypsies. I don't care what you say, so why don't you just get out!" Karsh stood up quickly and knocked the barstool over. The two performers gave him a look of disgust, and Orlha was getting ready to jump in before it escalated.  
  
"Go on! Get out of here! We don't want you here anyway." He gave Nikki a violent shove, and the red-haired rocker dominoed into Miki, both falling in a heap.  
  
Orlha leapt over the bar, standing between Karsh and the others. "Karsh, that's enough. It's time for you to leave."  
  
But he wasn't having any of that. The axe-wielder's rage was implacable now, his frustrations venting, all those pent up feelings from the recent days...  
  
He made to punch Orlha but found only air. The swift lady darted behind him and locked her arms under Karsh's shoulders. She lifted him with ease and brought him out of the bar.  
  
Zappa had walked in just in time to see a kicking Karsh being carried out of the bar, and couldn't help but notice Miki and Nikki still disentangling themselves. "Ach! What in the name of Hephaestus was going on here?"  
  
Karsh, meanwhile, was throwing a fit. After they were outside, he kicked Orlha right in the shin. Her grip loosened and Karsh wiggled free, turning about, threatening her with his axe. His rage was sobering him up a bit, but he was still beyond reason.  
  
Orlha didn't care. If this fool wanted a fight, she was ready. She stood at the ready, fists raised, heart pumping.  
  
Karsh didn't dare get close. He spun his axe around, and flung it with all his might, right at his target's head. The drunken fighting master simply cocked her head to the side, and watched smugly as the axe sailed away.  
  
"Seems like game over already. That's a shame." She leapt at Karsh, and landed an incredible hit right in the drunk man's gut. He slumped over, and ate dust.  
  
"Sorry, chum. I haven't got the time to deal with you," she called, walking off. But Karsh rose up again, spluttering dirt and profanities.  
  
Neither had noticed the axe coming back, whirling at top speed like a boomerang. Karsh rammed into Orlha, knocking her out of the way. She fell to the ground, and caught a glimpse of flying steel. The noise that followed was sickening.  
  
She raised her head, and nearly lost it. On the ground lay Karsh, his torso nearly severed, slain by his own axe.  
  
**By: Vancewynd**


	6. Serge's Descent, Rounds 26 through 30

I know some of you may be a little miffed as you see some of your favorite characters keep on dying. All I have to say to that is, stick with the story, as all is not as it seems as the plot continues to unfold. The story is quite far-reaching in its scope and I believe you all will enjoy its conclusion thoroughly. In these installments Serge descends further into his madness and even shifts his innate allegiance. Some players have an idea as to what's going on, but will they be able to help him? Read on to find out.

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Round 26 – Serge (S), Janice (K)  
  
Janice was feeling mighty proud of herself. She had managed to take out Kid without so much as breaking a sweat.  
  
"Hmmm...I feel good. Man, does it feel good to show that pompous little..." she trailed off, because she heard something in the bushes. She didn't want to investigate, but she had a strange inkling that this would be something important.  
  
"As long as I'm quiet," Janice whispered to herself, and started pawing through the undergrowth. She waited for a long time before she came across Serge. Janice wanted to call to him, but he appeared busy. Her curiosity taking over, she poked her head out a little from her hiding place to watch.  
  
Serge was standing next to a stream where the group usually got their water. However, he appeared to be quietly contemplating something, unsure of himself. Footsteps from the undergrowth brought in the shapely Riddel.  
  
"Serge, there you are," Riddel said, walking over to him. He looked to her with pleading eyes, and with his hands, he asked about Kid.  
  
"Kid? You did not hear? I am sorry, Serge, Kid is dead." Riddel delivered the news solemnly, and moved to put her hand on his shoulder. Serge stepped back.  
  
"It was Janice," Riddel said. She moved toward him again, but he angrily shoved her a little, and then ran off into the woods, his hands pressed to his face.  
  
"Oh, Serge." Riddel sighed before turning around and returning from where she came.  
  
Alone in the wilderness, Serge was pouting. How could that rabbit girl, with those feet, kill Kid? Shouldn't Kid have been able to fight? He sobbed for a minute, and then got a drink of water. Once he started drinking, he heard a single word in the back of his mind.  
  
"Vengeance," it said simply and loudly. Serge was confused and sat down for a minute.  
  
"Vengeance." The word repeated itself again. It kept speaking, getting louder and louder. Serge put his hands to his ears, but it didn't drown out the sound, the word, or its meaning.  
  
When Serge finally stood up, the sparkle was gone from his eyes. All he could think about was Janice. Janice killing Kid. Janice and her cocky smile.  
  
'She will pay!' Serge screamed in his head.  
  
Janice was strutting near the beach, feeling awfully proud of herself while waiting for some sea creatures to come close so she could capture and train them. Serge emerged from the bushes, the look in his eyes screaming bloody murder.  
  
"Oh, it's Serge. Well, you look like you wanna come get me. I know you know about Kid, and I say bring it! You can't take me out! I'm the Almighty Janice! The Iron Woman!" She shouted before getting her bunny drum out.  
  
Serge ran straight for her, while Janice swung her drum. She knocked him on his rear, but he stood right back up and blindly charged still.  
  
"Fireball!" Janice conjured up four globes of piping hot napalm. At her point, all of them crashed into Serge, knocking him flat on his back. But again, he stood up, paid his reddened skin no mind, and charged again.  
  
"Firepillar!" Janice shouted, the ground around Serge erupting into flames. He fell backward, and stumbled onto one knee.  
  
"Inferno!" Janice threw in for good measure. The air turned red with heat and charged itself onto Serge's body. His clothes were in tatters, and everywhere on his skin, red boiling blisters oozed and popped with sickening sounds. Serge weakly got to one knee, and raised his fist in the air, trying to use the Holy Healing element. He felt weak from the blisters, as Janice strode over to him with an exaggerated bounce in her step. But his power wasn't working. The healing light would not form.  
  
"I can take you out easily! Leena will be even easier!" Janice mocked. Her carrot out, she prepared to stab Serge's throat.  
  
'REVENGE!' The same deep voice spoke the word in Serge's head once Janice had stopped talking. He stood up, again with his evil gaze, and charged himself with black energy. When the black light subsided, Serge himself was fine, with no more blisters or reddened skin on him. They had shifted onto Janice.  
  
"Im-Impossible!" Janice shouted, her ears and arms in pain from all the festering skin. He had used the Revenge element, something he could never use before.  
  
She fell to the ground, and Serge gave no word as his swallow tore into her midsection. The blisters ripped with her skin, as the swallow opened her body and killed her within seconds. With a smug look of satisfaction, Serge tossed her body in the ocean, but not before cutting off her ridiculous feet.  
  
"How lucky are you now?" Serge asked hypothetically, his voice eerily carrying over the sea breeze.  
  
Standing within the shaded area under a fallen tree, the hooded figure watched Serge's actions. If anyone was watching and could see his mouth, they would find a twisted smile upon his lips.  
  
"He uses the dark powers at last. My work is nearly over."  
  
**By: Matt620**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 27 – Nikki (S), Zappa (K)  
  
Zappa was very angry. Just two days ago, his only son had gotten into a bar fight with Orlha, and now Karsh was dead. He would never forgive Orlha, even if Karsh could be an idiot sometimes. He needed somebody to help him avenge his son.  
  
Nikki and Miki were taking a walk around the island. They were happy that neither one of them had been killed yet.  
  
"I can't believe my sister is dead," said Nikki. "If only I knew who did it."  
  
"Riddel and Karsh were seen near where her body was found," remarked Miki. "But Karsh is dead now, and dead men don't tell tales."  
  
"If I ever find out who killed my sister, they are going to die!" yelled Nikki, who noticed Zappa walking by just then.  
  
"Hello, Zappa," greeted Miki. "How are you today?"  
  
"My son is dead. Ah know who did it too. It was Orlha."  
  
"I know how you feel," sympathized Nikki. "My sister Marcy was found dead several days ago. Someone saw your son talking with Riddel near her body."  
  
"My son? But that's impossible. Ah dinnae believe that he would do that."  
  
"You're just sticking up for him now. I saw how rude he could get at the bar. I bet Karsh killed Marcy! That backstabber!" Nikki was getting very angry.  
  
"I'm telling ye, my son dinnae do it. Laddie, you calm down."  
  
"My sister is dead and you are telling me to calm down!!!!" Nikki took out his guitar.  
  
"Nikki, are you sure you should be doing this?" asked Miki. "I mean, what if Karsh is innocent..."  
  
Nikki was not listening to Miki. He started to play his guitar.  
  
"That music...it's awful, laddie!" Zappa exclaimed.  
  
Nikki just kept pounding away on his guitar. Zappa was holding his hands over his ears. "Ah'm telling ye, stop the bloody music," Zappa pleaded in vain.  
  
"What's that?" Nikki laughed over the drone of his rock music. "You want it louder?! I think I can do that."  
  
He then pulled out the cord that normally connected to his amp from the back of his guitar. Nikki twirled it around a few times and then let it fly. It settled right into the base of the weapon smith's skull as he began to scream even louder.  
  
"You think it hurts now? You just wait!" Nikki yelled.  
  
Nikki played a thunderous rift and the effects were immediately apparent. The music was making Zappa's head swell up. Every little note seemed to make the forger's head grow more and more until it reached comedic proportions. Finally, Nikki prepared himself for his big finale.  
  
"From my family to yours!" cried Nikki. "Hope you go out with a bang!" With that Nikki slammed home the final note of his death song.  
  
Zappa screamed in pain as his head grew even more. His eyes bulged out of his sockets as he waved his hands around like a rubber chicken. His cranium was fighting a battle with the sounds of sorrow and neither one could yet be declared the winner. After ten seconds, one of them finally gave up. With a sickening pop, Zappa's head exploded as his body then slumped to the ground.  
  
"You fought the rock. And the rock won," said Nikki, as he let the cord retract into his instrument.  
  
"I hope you did the right thing," said Miki, as she kissed her boyfriend on the cheek.  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 28 – Harle (S), Grobyc (K)  
  
In camp, Harle was on her daily messenger/delivery job when she saw none other than the cyborg assassin, Grobyc, walking towards her. Harle had rarely spoken to Grobyc, so she was wondering what the cyborg had to say to her.  
  
"Harle-may-Grobyc-have-a-word-with-you?" requested Grobyc.  
  
"Wit moi? Of course, Grobyc," the harlequin led the two to the edge of camp, away from any potential listeners. "So, what do you need to speak to moi about?"  
  
"Grobyc-is-worried-about-Grobyc's-master-Serge. Serge-has-been-acting-very-strangely-recently," the cyborg stated monotonously.  
  
"Oui, Monsieur Serge 'as been behaving out of character, so what do you plan on doing?" Harle was curious about what he had in mind.  
  
Grobyc made his request. "Grobyc-has-noticed-that-you-have-also-observed-this. You-and-Grobyc-will-watch-Serge-to-find-out-the-cause. Then-Grobyc-can-repair-Serge."  
  
Harle thought about this for a moment and gave her reply, "Alright, Grobyc, I 'ave some time to spare. Let us find Monsieur Serge."  
  
"I-know-where-Serge-is. Follow-Grobyc." And with that, the cyborg briskly marched off into the jungle with the jester close behind. For a few minutes, there were no words shared between the two as they worked their way through the thick vegetation. Grobyc knew the way as if he had just come from Serge's location.  
  
"Stop. Serge-is-beyond-these-trees. Grobyc-followed-Serge-this-far-before-going-to-you. Watch-silently," the robot cautioned.  
  
"I do not need spying tips from a robot. I am more worried about you making ze noise," Harle replied. The two crouched down silently onto the mossy ground and peered through the branches. Sure enough, there was Serge, seemingly at peace. He was also crouched down, but by a creek instead of bushes. Serge brought his hands together and lowered his arms into the creek, collecting fresh water in his palms. He raised his cupped hands to his mouth and sipped the refreshing water. And then...crack!  
  
'?' Serge looked up and towards the source of the noise, his eyebrows narrowed with a look of irritation in his eyes.  
  
The two spies quickly and quietly withdrew and left the scene. When they deemed it safe, Harle immediately turned on Grobyc. "What did you t'ink vous were doing?! A robot 'as heavy az vous trying to be completely zilent? Vous should 'ave found a place with no twigs before vous zat!"  
  
"That-was-not-Grobyc-that-made-the-noise. It-was-you. You-are-not-as-skilled-at-spying-as-you-thought," Grobyc retorted.  
  
"Moi? Pleaze. Az a robot, vous should have the logic to be careful around a potentially dangerous person."  
  
"Are-you-insulting-Grobyc's-intelligence? Grobyc-will-not-stand-for-this! Grobyc-attack!" the cyborg cried out in his own cyborg way and tried to punch the jester.  
  
Harle jumped back and fired a dart at her assailant. "Vous wish to fight wit moi? It will be your death," Harle warned. The dart bounced harmlessly off of Grobyc.  
  
"Grobyc-thinks-otherwise. Grobyc-is-an-assassin," Grobyc announced, with some pride, too. The robot launched his fist at Harle's gut but missed by a mile. Harle teleported behind him and took another shot. This time the dart made it into a space between his armor and caused some sparks to fly out. She got the idea and launched many more darts toward more of these spaces while she dodged Grobyc's blows. Finally, the cyborg scored a hit and sent Harle tumbling backwards. He took the chance, detached his arm, and replaced it with a cannon. He took careful aim and fired.  
  
"Zat t'ing iz much too slow!" Harle laughed as she teleported behind Grobyc again. As the cyborg was recovering from the massive attack, the jester stuck many darts into his skin. Grobyc was spouting sparks all over.  
  
"Au revoir, foolish cyborg!" Harle jumped onto a tree branch as a wave of water rushed by, thoroughly soaking Grobyc. The water fried the circuits inside of him and his spiky metal hair was smoking. Then a massive charge built up above his head and came into contact with his body. Grobyc instantly exploded, sending circuitry in every direction.  
  
"Useless robot. If Luccia asks, Grobyc 'ad a major malfunction." Harle brushed herself off and resumed making her deliveries.  
  
**By: TenkoStar17**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 29 – Miki (S), Luccia (K)  
  
Some of the adventurers had been getting tense lately, as more and more of them had been disappearing as of late. But not Miki. She was more concerned with getting something to eat, as she had missed breakfast that morning. As she was walking to get some food, she felt a little creature knock into her.  
  
"Hey, Pip, what's the rush?" a flustered Miki asked.  
  
"I'm Sowwy, Miki, but Wuccia needs you to test her invention!" Pip said, his excitement clearly showing.  
  
"Me?!" exclaimed Miki. "But I know nothing about machines."  
  
"Wuccia asked fow your help," said Pip.  
  
"Okay Pip, I'll help test the machine," assented Miki.  
  
Miki and Pip walked to Luccia's tent. There were weird beeping noises coming out of it.  
  
"Kom in," beckoned Luccia. "I had Pip bring you here to test my masterpiece. Dis machine is called de Dance Dance Revolution 1000, and I vant you to test it vith me."  
  
"A dancing machine! Cool!" exclaimed Miki. "But how did it get here?"  
  
"I built it out of the remains of my brother, Grobyc," explained Luccia. "At least his death was not in vain. I built it for science!"  
  
"Whatever..." said Miki. "So how do we play?"  
  
"It's simple. You dance on dis pad," Luccia instructed, as she pointed to the floor piece. "Den you dance the vay the arrows are pointing. If you hit the arrows, you get points. If you miss the arrows, you vill not be able to pass dis stage."  
  
"Okay, let's play," said Miki, as she stepped on one of the dance pads and got herself comfortable. Luccia then stepped on the other dance pad. With a wave of the scientist's hand in front a miniature display board, the game began.  
  
Miki won the first game easily, as Luccia barely managed to even pass the easy levels.  
  
"I vill beat you eventually," huffed Luccia. "Kom on Miki, keep playing."  
  
"You'll never beat me, for I am the Dynamite Dancer Miki!" exclaimed Miki, as the two women danced all night. Eventually, Miki noticed that Luccia wasn't even dancing anymore.  
  
"Luccia, are you alright? Why aren't you moving?" asked a shocked Miki.  
  
"Wuccia!" exclaimed Pip. "She doesn't appeaw to be bweathing. I think she had a heart attack!"  
  
"Oopsie! I didn't mean to kill her..." said Miki. "This is not good. I'm getting out of here." Miki then hopped off the dance pad and walked toward the tent flap.  
  
"I will get wevenge on you Miki!" yelled Pip as he sprouted horns and a tail.  
  
"Pip, look what you have become..." said Miki, as she slowly backed out of the room. One more person had died and another enemy had been made. This was not a good day for the dynamite dancer. She then raced out of the tent to find Nikki. He would understand that it was an accident and hopefully protect her from the Devil Pip.  
  
"Oh Nikki! It's happened again!" cried Miki, as she spotted her boyfriend.  
  
"What's wrong?!" Nikki asked, concern in his voice. "Did you raise the dead?"  
  
"Ummm...no," answered Miki, confused. "I was playing this game with Luccia and we got so into it. I couldn't stop playing and I didn't even notice anything was wrong. Then when I looked over, she had a heart attack! She wasn't breathing!"  
  
"Okay," Nikki said, looking relieved. "So you're sure you didn't raise the dead?"  
  
"Nikki, have you even been listening to me?!" shouted Miki.  
  
"Yep, you said you didn't raise the dead," replied Nikki, as he placed his arm around his girlfriend. "And that's good enough for me." The two then strolled off toward the kitchen tent, hoping to scoop up any leftovers just before it closed down until breakfast time. Neither of them noticed the little horned creature glaring at them from afar.  
  
**By: Alanna82**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 30 – Fargo (S), Leah (K)  
  
"A scavenger hunt?" remarked Orlha, as she read the posted sign. "Wow, SAL must be getting really desperate for activities now. Oh well, we might as well see how it turns out."  
  
"Dude, do I really have to go?" asked Doc, obviously not enthused. "I have a whole bag of stuff just waiting to be tested..."  
  
"I think it's time you got some fresh air," Orlha said, forcefully. "This tent is so stuffy sometimes that I really wonder what you do in here all day." With that she pulled Doc to his feet, and with much pushing and prodding, finally got him moving in a reasonably straight line.  
  
As the two friends reached the meeting area, they were quite shocked to see everyone there, save Lynx and Guile. The number of players in this tournament had shrunken considerably since its inception, and now they were down to only sixteen total. A turnout of fourteen was remarkable, even more so when you considered the amount of brewing enmity growing between the once friendly adventurers.  
  
"Ahem!" Norris cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Thank you for showing up to this SAL event. I figured a little old-fashioned scavenger hunt would be the best thing to take our minds off of the more stressful things that have recently been going on. Anyway, the rules are quite simple. We'll pair off into teams of two and then hand out the list of items. Then, everyone returns here after a maximum of three hours. The team to collect the most items wins. In the event of a tie, the faster team to return to this spot will be declared the victor. Any questions?"  
  
"Can I use bwute fowce?" asked Pip, scraping the ground with his horns in anticipation, while glaring at Nikki and Miki.  
  
"If need be," answered Norris. "Just make sure it doesn't get too out of hand. Any other concerns?" Everyone shook their head "no". "Okay then, let's pair up."  
  
After a mad scramble, seven teams were finally formed. The pairings were as follows: Doc and Orlha, Nikki and Miki, Norris and Riddel, Steena and Pip, Serge and Leena, Fargo and Leah, and finally, Harle and Irenes. Norris then handed out the lists.  
  
"Be back in three hours from now," Norris repeated. "On your mark, get set...go!" And with the final word, everyone separated and dashed to various places across the island.  
  
"Quick, what's first on the list?" prodded Nikki.  
  
"A golden leaf," said Miki, as she perused the list. She looked in front of them and saw a huge tree. And up on its highest branch was a leaf of an amber hue. "There's one Nikki! But how will we get it down?"  
  
"Leave it to me," assured Nikki. He then pulled out his guitar and played a jarring note. The tree shook and quivered for a little bit and then all its leaves fell off. Nikki waded through the pile of green and found what he was looking for. "Piece of cake. What's next?"  
  
Doc and Orlha were walking around with their eyes focused on the ground for their item.  
  
"A four-leaf clover?! Does Norris actually expect us to increase our luck or something?" seethed Orlha.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" inquired Doc, as he bent down to pick something up. "Some kind of weed or something..." At the sight of what Doc held in his hand, his partner's eyes lit up.  
  
"Doc! You found it! You really are the master of herbology," Orlha squealed.  
  
"Uhhhh...can I smoke it?" pleaded Doc.  
  
Orlha rolled her eyes at his comment. "Later. Now what's next?"  
  
Norris and Riddel were standing by a nearby pond, on the lookout for any reptiles that fit the description they were searching for. Riddel suddenly spotted something enter the pond and she pointed it out to Norris. Norris shook his head to indicate he saw it and then reached down into his pants pocket. He pulled out a grenade, bit off the pin, and then hurled it at the creature. A miniature explosion resulted.  
  
"Norris!" shouted Riddel, shocked. "Did you have to kill the turtle just for its shell?"  
  
"Yep," Norris said, calmly. "It was a threat. I didn't like the way it was looking at me. Shifty eyes. Besides, maybe this way we can convince the others to give us bonus points for the two halves."  
  
Riddel just sighed and picked up the burnt out husk. "Next item?"  
  
Steena and Pip were searching high for a nest. So far, they had turned up empty. Suddenly, Steena spotted something.  
  
"Pip, up there," she pointed. "Think you can get that egg?"  
  
"I'll gwab it," he said, as he sprouted dragonfly wings out of his back and flew up to the nest. Suddenly a large pterodactyl descended on the ever- changing phenomenon. Pip fought a fierce battle, but in the end emerged victorious.  
  
"Sowwy about that," he apologized.  
  
"Don't be," laughed Steena. "That was a good fight. There's nothing like the smell of fresh blood in the morning! Let's hurry on with this wild goose chase then!"  
  
Fargo and Leah were sitting by the base of a mountain, trying to think of how to obtain their next item.  
  
"Four crystals of different colors?!" Fargo barked. "What's that matey thinking?"  
  
"Leah know-um!" shouted his diminutive partner. "Crystals in rock-ums!"  
  
"Yeah, but how will we break them open?" questioned Fargo. Then, an idea hit him.  
  
"Leah, on my signal, hurl these big boulders at me. Make it four, though. No more, no less. Once I start what I'm doing, I can't stop. Got that?"  
  
"Rock-um throwing is fun!" exclaimed Leah, as she picked up the first boulder.  
  
"Go!" shouted Fargo. He then ran at Leah, while glowing a fierce blue.  
  
Leah threw one rock and Fargo sliced it open, spilling its contents of multifaceted gems. 'One,' she thought to herself. She then threw a second rock at Fargo and he cut it into pieces. 'Two,' she continued. With another mighty heave and a sword swing a third rock just as quickly met the fate of the others. 'Wait? What come after three-um?' Leah paused, confused. Just then she felt a sword rip into her as her eyes went wide and she slumped to the ground.  
  
"Oh no!" shouted Fargo. "I told her four! Oh well, maybe some of these red- stained rocks can pass as a different color." Fargo gathered up the stones and then headed out with the list in hand. "Aye, this next one looks easy."  
  
Serge and Leena were situated by the ocean and testing out different stones. They were looking for the perfect skipping stone. Just as Serge placed his hand on one that appeared to do the job, he heard a familiar voice in his head.  
  
"Why do you waste your time with these childish activities?" the voice said. "You could accomplish so much more if you do not hold yourself back."  
  
'No!' Serge screamed in his head, covering his hands over his ears. 'Leave me be!' At this action Leena looked over at her friend warily.  
  
"Are you alright, Serge?" she asked, obvious concern in her voice.  
  
"But is that really what you want?" continued the voice inside Serge's head. "Take your partner, for instance. Wouldn't you love to rip her pretty little eyes out right now?"  
  
'No!' retorted Serge, as he looked at Leena.  
  
"Yes! You want to kill her! Gore is all that makes you happy!" the voice shouted.  
  
'It is not...what I want. It is...not...Do I want this?' Serge asked the voice in his head, now not so sure of himself. The thought of blood and carnage was beginning to appeal to him.  
  
"Yes! But you must thrust quickly! Perform your deed and be gone!" shouted the voice.  
  
'The deed will be done,' Serge replied, calmly. The boy from Arni then stood up and held his hands to his eyes. When he looked again at Leena, they were no longer blue, but blood red.  
  
"It is time to meet your maker," Serge hissed, as he took out his swallow and swiped at Leena.  
  
"Wh-wh-what did you say?!" asked a shaken Leena, unaccustomed to hearing the voice of the amicable mime. She managed to dodge his swipes, but still feared for her life just the same.  
  
"You are a stain upon this earth!" Serge yelled, as his swallow finally tore into Leena's arm. She screamed in pain. "Death is the only option." He then performed a sweep kick and Leena was left flat on her back, Serge's swallow pointed at the base of her throat. "Any last words?"  
  
"Yes!" she cried. "Stop this insanity! It's me Serge! Don't you remember the bond we shared?! Come to your senses!"  
  
"No, you mean n-n-nothing to me!" he shouted, but there was hesitation in his voice, his resolve wavering.  
  
"But you mean much to me!" Leena countered. "I-I-I love you, Serge. You must have realized that by now. What ever this is, we can work through it. Let me help you." She then placed her hand on Serge's weapon and pushed it to the side.  
  
Serge dropped his swallow and closed his eyes. He then put his hands to his temples and backed away from Leena. 'Nooo! What was I doing?!' he said to himself, reality creeping back into his head. 'I will have you gone!' he told the sinister voice.  
  
"You cannot get rid of me," the voice laughed. "Not when we have come so far. Let us end this now. Just pick up the swallow, and run her through..."  
  
'No!' Serge said as he fought against the overwhelming urge to do just that.  
  
"If you are too weak to do it!" yelled the voice. "Then I will!"  
  
Serge then dived for the swallow and stood up. Laughing, he brought it around for the killing strike. Just before it made contact, Serge halted its momentum and let out a bloodcurdling scream.  
  
"Stop it!!!" he yelled. His body then went flaccid and collapsed to the ground. His eyes had rolled into the back of his head and he was shivering in obvious shock.  
  
"I need help!" Leena shouted to the empty air, hoping someone would hear. "Something is wrong!"  
  
Harle then materialized next to the maiden. The jester was holding a conch shell.  
  
"What iz it?" she asked, perplexed.  
  
"It's Serge!" Leena exclaimed. "He tried to attack me all of a sudden and then he just passed out! He looks horrid!"  
  
"I tried to 'alt what iz going on, but it seems it was no good," said Harle, forlorn. "Irenes iz looking for a pearl in ze water, ze last item we need. Go back to Norris and ze others when she returns. Let them know what haz 'appened." The harlequin then bent over and put her hand on Serge's forehead.  
  
"What are you doing now?" asked Leena, in tears at what was ripping her neighbor apart.  
  
"Anyt'ing zat I can," replied Harle, as she teleported both herself and Serge back to the camp. Harle then placed Serge on his sleeping bag and removed his bandanna. She soaked it and placed it on his head, hoping to control the growing fever. Sighing to herself, she then slowly backed out of the tent. "I have put zis off for long enough. I must confront him."  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	7. Masks Fall and Enemies Arise, Rounds 31 ...

Lots of plot unfolding happens here in such a short space. These last few rounds before the Top Ten were chock full of information and conflict, so I decided to split them up even further. The hooded man is finally revealed and a new foe takes shape on the battlefield between good and evil. It's not someone who you would expect, though (mainly because the writers made him up). Read, review, and enjoy.

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Round 31 - Norris (S), Pip (K)  
  
"Alright, the next SAL activity is a deer hunt," Norris said, looking sternly towards the group as he carried a high-impact rifle. The group looked anxious, since they had been eating the same things day after day, and the prospect of fresh venison was very appealing. But still, more people hadn't shown up. Besides the normal Lynx and Steena absences, Serge, Pip, Guile, and Harle were absent.  
  
"Now, be careful with what you shoot. Make sure you're not hitting a human or demi-human," Norris commanded as the group passed weapons around to each other. Everyone was going alone. More people would just mean more feet to step on dry twigs and less cover to divide up.  
  
He trekked towards the water hole, where most animals should be at this time of day. However, there were currently none present. 'Half of the hunt is in the anticipation,' he mused, as he kneeled down, his rifle ready, just waiting for that prize to show up.  
  
"I shouldn't 'ave put it off for zo long," Harle resolved. Serge was now attacking his those he loved, and the normally quiet boy was nearly shouting. There was something wrong, and now she had to find the source. She trekked towards the dormant volcano that was at the northern part of the island.  
  
"I knew zat I would find vous 'ere," Harle said to the rustling of the bushes behind her.  
  
"I knew that you would be coming. You're not too hard to read," said the voice, revealing itself to be the silver-haired Guile.  
  
"Why?" Harle asked.  
  
"I do not need to reveal myself to you," he returned.  
  
Norris heard something. Actually, he heard two things. Anxiously, he got his rifle ready and focused it, ready and hungering for the kill. The first rustle brought out Miki, who still had not changed out of that red costume that anyone could see from a mile away. But the second rustling did not dart away. It stayed.  
  
This was something that considered Miki a target, which probably meant it was a tiger or something. He turned the gun towards the sound, licking his lips in anticipation. From out of the bushes charged a strange creature that Norris had never seen before. He would have captured it for Luccia if she was still alive, but now she was not, and this was a meal. Norris fired a clean shot, catching the monster in the neck. It stretched out and lunged forward, but was stiff as a post. The gunshot had frightened off Miki, so Norris went alone to claim his trophy. It had purple skin, horns, and it looked a lot like Pip.  
  
It took Norris a few second to realize it was Pip.  
  
"Well, he was going to attack Miki, so shooting him was justice," he resolved, as he slung the rifle and the carcass over his shoulders.  
  
"I won't let vous get away wit zis! You leave Serge alone!" Harle demanded.  
  
"Is that all you want to say? I won't stop now, not after I'm so close to my goal," Guile smirked, and drew something out from his robes. Although Harle couldn't make out anything about it, she suspected that it was the cause of Serge's problems.  
  
"I will stop vous! BlackHole!" Harle casted her element, the black ball falling to the ground and starting to suck Guile in. However, Guile rubbed the shiny object he was holding and the spell vaporized into purple dust.  
  
"You think you can hurt me? You and I are one and the same, you know. You can't use your power on me." He laughed, and then faded in a blackening wave.  
  
Now Harle was worried. She had declared herself Guile's enemy and he would surely come after her.  
  
"Zo, I must fight 'im for Serge's zake, but 'e can stop me from attacking. I t'ink I need some 'elp, but who could moi enlist?" Pondering her current state of affairs, she then teleported herself back to camp in order to search for aid.  
  
**By: Matt620**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
  
Round 32 – Harle (S), Riddel (S), Guile (K)  
  
'I cannot believe I am going through with this,' thought Riddel to herself, as she followed the path toward the base of the island's dormant volcano. 'But if it is the only way to heal Serge from his coma, then I owe him that much. He saved my life once. Now it is time to return the favor.'  
  
Just a few short hours ago, Riddel had been rudely awakened from a restless sleep by Harle. The jester told her that she had finally discovered a way to help Serge, but Riddel must hurry to the forest just outside of the volcano. There everything would be explained. She also looked saddened when she told Riddel to come prepared with her most powerful elements, weapon, and gear. She was not to hold anything back. Then, the harlequin vanished without another word.  
  
'I hope Harle knows what she is doing,' Riddel worried to herself. 'We all have a desire to help our friend through this, although her tactics seem a bit extreme.'  
  
"I zee you 'ave come," said a musical voice from up high. Riddel craned her head toward the bright moon, only to see Harle floating in front of it. "T'ank you."  
  
"I am glad to help," replied Riddel. "I just want to know what this is all about."  
  
"It iz all about our friend, monsieur Serge," said Harle, sadly. "Serge iz not 'imself now. Even now 'e iz trapped in ze darkest reaches of 'iz own mind."  
  
"I still do not understand why you require my assistance, though," mused the princess. "Could you not just handle this task on your own?"  
  
"Non," answered Harle. "I 'ave tried, oui. But 'e iz too powerful. Ze man neutr'lizes my power. Zis iz where you come in, mademoiselle Riddel."  
  
"Who is doing this, Harle? And to what end?" asked Riddel.  
  
"Ze person iz non ot'er zan Guile!" revealed Harle, to an obviously shocked Riddel. "I know not'ing of 'iz motives, though."  
  
"Can you not just talk to him?" proposed Riddel.  
  
"Non, 'e iz beyond reason," said Harle, as she quickly shook her head.  
  
"Well, I would like to avoid violence at all costs, but I am ready to fight if need be," reasoned Riddel. "I would like some answers as well. Where is our masked friend?"  
  
"Just past zees trees," pointed Harle.  
  
"Then let us make haste," argued Riddel. "The sooner this madness can stop, the sooner we will have the old Serge back. Shall we be off?"  
  
"Non, mademoiselle Riddel," said Harle, apologetically. "Like I zaid before. Moi am powerless against 'im. You go alone."  
  
"That is unfortunate," Riddel sighed. "But I shall do what I must. Despite my appearance I am a lot stronger than others give me credit for."  
  
"I know zis," winked Harle. "Why do you t'ink moi recruited you? I will be close if t'ings get out of 'and. Call for moi. Alt'ough I do not t'ink I will be of much 'elp. Oh, and mademoiselle..."  
  
"Yes, Harle?"  
  
"Pleeze be careful." Harle then stepped back and faded into the night sky.  
  
Riddel secured her rod and continued her trek toward the looming mountain. She had to be careful with the dense undergrowth in some areas, but soon she was almost at her destination. Finally, with a small push she reached the master magician.  
  
Guile was deep in concentration when Riddel saw him in the distance. He was holding a small, shiny object out in front of him and chanting something. As he was doing this waves of orange energy were rhythmically pulsing down his arms and into the item. Riddel couldn't make out exactly what he held in front of him, but it did not appear that his intentions were pure.  
  
"Guile," Riddel said, calmly. "We need to talk."  
  
With a final burst of orange energy flowing into the object, Guile slumped to the ground, tired. Forcing his droopy eyelids open, he stared at the lady of Viper Manor. Using his staff as support, he struggled to his feet.  
  
"I am glad you were able to witness that final burst," Guile said, as he secreted the object into a fold within his robe. "Everything is now in place. This final infusion has been completed. All we do now is wait."  
  
"Why are you doing this, Guile?" Riddel asked.  
  
"The same reason the moon goes around the Earth," the magician replied, cryptically. "The same reason all of our planets circle the sun. The same reason the universe goes on surviving as it does. It is simply something that must be done."  
  
"But you are hurting others in the process," Riddel pleaded. "You must stop what you are doing. For the sake of everyone here."  
  
"Did you not hear me, woman?!" Guile shot at her. He was already begin to stand on his feet a little steadier and with less labored breathing. Apparently he was beginning to regain whatever strength he had lost during from the ritual. "The process has completed. I can do nothing more on my side of things! What little chance anyone has to reverse this quickly fades with each passing second."  
  
"I will ask you one more time," said Riddel, beginning to get annoyed with the cryptic magician. "Will you tell me what is going on and help me to aid Serge?"  
  
"No," said Guile, standing even straighter. He had almost gained his full strength back and brought out his wand around in a defensive posture. "If you want answers you must go through me. And I assure you princess, this time you will have no one there to protect you."  
  
"I have managed just fine by myself in my lifetime," Riddel countered. "And I do not fear the dark powers of pathetic swine such as yourself. I shall take you on without hesitation."  
  
"I applaud you for your conviction," Guile smirked. "And also for allowing me to regain my strength. You will regret that later on." Guile then fired a bolt of concentrated gravity energy at Riddel.  
  
Riddel spun to the side and fired a beam of white light at the magician. He brought up his hand to absorb it with the shiny object, but to no effect. It struck him square in the shoulder, as he winced in pain. "How could you...?"  
  
"I am not some second-rate magic user," Riddel spoke with confidence. "Whatever you did to Harle will not work on me. You underestimate me and that will be your downfall." She then fired a howling green wind tunnel at her opponent.  
  
Guile teleported out of harm's way to the right. He was also floating a good two feet off the ground. He responded to her assault in kind, summoning a large plant that attempted to devour Riddel. Just before its jaws closed over her, she teleported out of its reach. No victim in range, it shriveled back into the nothingness from which it came. Riddel was also hovering in the air, a bewitching smile on her face.  
  
"You have learned much in the short time we have been apart," Guile spoke. "But I wield the dark arts." He then compressed his wand between his hands. Riddel looked around frantically for any attack, but couldn't see anything. Suddenly, she felt a ripping pain in her right shoulder, as the magician's wand materialized there. It then tore itself free as Riddel cried out, leaving a hole where a massive amount of blood was quickly spilling onto the ground.  
  
"Play with fire and you're going to get burned, girl," Guile sneered.  
  
Riddel then surrounded herself with a blue energy. Her wound sealed itself up and her face regained some of the color it had lost with the injury. She then faced the mage with fire in her eyes. Her wand glowed a fierce blue again and Guile found himself with an ice wall around his position. He heard a rushing of water and looked to the side just in time to see a river slam into him with crushing force. Guile then pushed himself off the ground, not feeling entirely too healthy, but with a grim determination just the same.  
  
"It appears your constitution is waning," said the princess. "Just halt with your insane actions and we can end this."  
  
"No, it appears you are the one stricken with sickness," spoke the mage as his body circled itself with dark energy. The magic then struck Riddel, as her head felt stuffy and her nose began to run, making it difficult to concentrate. "And the air is not a welcome place for one with your standing."  
  
Guile unleashed some yellow energy from his wand as the ground beneath Riddel shook. Three stone pillars rose from the earth. One knocked her out of the air, the second smashed into her side, and the third crushed her legs. She limped over to Guile, obviously in pain, but not beaten yet. Concentrating, she wrapped herself in white light, feeling invigorated as her strength returned and her head cleared. She also was free of her limp. She walked a few steps toward the magician and glowed white once more before she halted ten yards away.  
  
"I see we could do this all evening if need be," Guile reasoned. "Both our magic is up to the task. But I fear I must end this now!" He then hurled his wand up into the air and it positioned itself right over Riddel. The sky turned black and some lighting arced out of the air. Before Riddel knew what was happening, it was too late, as the lightning struck the wand and washed over her. As soon as the attack was over, Guile recalled his wand to again float by his side. "Had enough?"  
  
"Hardly," she replied, as she parted the dark lightning and stared Guile right in the face. She was seemingly unaffected by the onslaught and raised her wand in defiance, dispelling the thundercloud. "I have only just begun."  
  
Riddel charged at Guile, her rod ready for attack. Guile glided to the side and moved his wand around to block the blow. With a flurry of movement, he was able to deflect all but one, which caught him on the side of the head. As he was falling, he fired a black orb from his wand at the princess, catching her squarely in the chest. Both fell to the ground, exhausted from both the foreign physical exertion and the damage they had sustained.  
  
Guile surrounded himself with green energy and stood up. Riddel did the same with a blue effect, also rising to her feet.  
  
"You cannot win, you know," Guile huffed. "You have exhausted your bag of tricks already. Your power is reaching its limit. But I still have strong magic at my disposal." He then fell into a deep meditation for his next spell.  
  
Riddel quickly brought her rod in front of her and prayed for a miracle. 'Dario, my love,' she thought, 'may your faith keep me strong.' A pair of white snake eyes then made its way into the back of her mind and she could almost feel her magical power invigorating her again. With not a moment to lose, she prepared her defenses and again covered herself in a white glow. All she could do now was brace herself for the coming attack.  
  
"Ha!" Guile shouted, as the black ball extricated itself from the tip of his wand. It stopped just in front of the princess and then began to collapse in on itself. The black hole began to draw her in as well, but not before she waved her wand in front of her, as the protective spell took effect. "But you have already used that tactic! How...?"  
  
"I am deeply sorry, Guile," Riddel apologized. "But it ends here." She then raised up her rod and concentrated all her energy into this next attack. In desperation, Guile hit her with a dark mental blast, causing her concentration to falter somewhat. Her resolve was too strong though, as her spell was freed and began to take shape.  
  
Startled, Guile felt himself rising high into the air, powerless to stop what was happening. A pulsing white light accompanied him, as he could only watch it in fear. It throbbed once, then a second time, and then finally a third, as it burst open and enveloped him in its energy. It felt like a thousand exploding stars were assaulting the mage as he howled into the white-hot light. The attack was over just as soon as it started, dropping Guile to the ground like a fallen angel. To his testament, he was still breathing when he hit the ground.  
  
Riddel bent over to the magician and took off his mask, peering directly into his violet eyes.  
  
"You...must...mind...clouded," he pleaded to her.  
  
The princess called out to Harle, as she placed a healing kiss on the mage's forehead, slowly bringing his eyes back into focus.  
  
"Once more...my powers of reasoning...so close to their return," Guile spoke, his voice cracking on every other word.  
  
Riddel again placed her lips on his forehead, infusing his troubled head with the final dose of healing magic. With that his eyes fluttered open and he snapped to attention. Harle then materialized next to the two and stared at the unmasked face of the master magician.  
  
"I do not have much time," Guile said. "So please hear me out. The actions that I have performed lately were not my own, but that of another."  
  
"Who?" asked Harle.  
  
"I think you both know the answer to that question," snapped the mage. "Here is the instrument of Serge's undoing. But if you act quick enough, there is a still a chance that it can be the one to redeem him!" He then reached deep into his pocket and pulled out the shiny object from earlier. As both Harle and Riddel bent over to get a better look at it, realization hit them as to what this was.  
  
"Zat iz ze Dragon Emblem!" shouted a shocked Harle.  
  
"Yes," confirmed Guile. He then gritted his teeth together as an invisible pain wracked his body. "Take it and give it to Steena. She is under a spell now, but you can break it by showing this to her. Then she will be able to attempt to stop the growing evil in Serge. It is already starting to take shape and there is little time. If it should come to life its power will be beyond anyone's control." He put his hand to his chest and cried out.  
  
"What hurts?" Riddel asked, concerned. "Can we help?"  
  
"There is nothing you can do now...just go..." gritted Guile. "The only thing you can do...is to remember...how this...all started..."  
  
His entire body then convulsed in shock as a ghost-like image of the mage crept out from his eyes and mouth. It looked the same as he had, but was entirely transparent. The image of his soul began to dissipate into the cool night air.  
  
"Wait!" exclaimed Riddel. "We still need your help!"  
  
"Just...remember...the beginning..." said the wispy soul as it vanished. All that was left of Guile was his lifeless husk, eyes staring vacantly into space. Riddel then put her hand over his face and closed his eyelids, to better welcome the mage into his eternal sleep.  
  
"Come," said Harle. "We 'ave done enough 'ere. We must get zis to Steena." She then helped the sorceress to her feet. Stealing a look back to the body of Guile, she sighed and teleported both of them back to the camp.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Where am I?" asked a confused Serge, as he looked around. This area was completely dark except for a few patches of light that pulsed sporadically in the distance. He stood on a clear blue floor, seemingly made from sturdy glass. He walked around his surroundings, but could only see nothingness everywhere he turned.  
  
"Glad you could finally join the party," laughed a deep voice, off to the side. "I was beginning to think you had chickened out."  
  
"Who are you?!" shouted Serge.  
  
"You don't know?" responded the voice, feigning hurt. "I guess I'll have to show you then." The figure then stepped out from the shadows. It held its own swallow in the ready stance and seemed to emanate hatred and evil. The person wore a blue bandana underneath a mop of crimson-orange hair. Its eyes glowed a burning red. The rest of the figure looked exactly like Serge.  
  
"I am you," he said, coldly. "Or more accurately, what you could have been. My name is Atikon. I am doom incarnate. And I want control of this body."  
  
**By: Daredevil3181**


	8. Fighting Puppets for a Gloating Schemer,...

As one enemy is found within, Steena meets another enemy outside. Serge fights on for his very existence against his dark side. But all cannot be explained so quickly, as there is a puppet master working behind the scenes and pulling everyone's strings. Even if Serge emerges victorious, will it be enough to stop the perpetrator of this whole plan? Read on to find out.

* * *

Round 33 – Steena (S), Doc (K)

"How did you get in here?" asked Serge.  
  
"I've been with you since your birth," replied Atikon. "Any time you felt anger, that was me. Whenever you held a grudge against someone, I reminded you of what they did wrong. The sweet smell of hatred makes me feel alive! I am a part of you, whether you like it or not."  
  
"But why choose to show yourself now? And here of all places?" questioned Serge.  
  
"Too long have you kept me subdued within the confines of your pathetic morality and do-good attitude," spat Atikon. "You have so much power at your fingertips that it's a shame you don't use it. Do you know how much of the world you could own with just the slightest wave of your hand?"  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that those are not the type of things that make me happy?" countered Serge.  
  
"Oh, I know those things wouldn't make you happy," laughed Atikon. "But they make me very happy. You're weak. I'm strong. Survival of the fittest deems it only fair that you evolve up to me."  
  
"If you're the next step in my evolution, then I'd rather be dead," said Serge.  
  
"Hey, let's not get too hasty!" cackled Atikon. "I want to get rid of you just the same, but we can't kill each other. Believe me, I would have done so sooner if I could."  
  
"Then what do you plan to do?" wondered Serge.  
  
"Subdue you," said Atikon, coldly. "Just like you did to me for seventeen damn years! Always pushing me down and away! Well, I want control of this body now. I want to show you what it's like to have the shoe on the other foot!"  
  
"You know I'm not going to let you do that," Serge said, as he readied himself with his swallow.  
  
"Ahhh...so the little whelp wants to fight," mused Atikon. "I wouldn't have this any other way. You don't know how dull it gets in the darkest recesses of your mind, do you? Well, you're about to find out." Atikon then brought around his swallow, fire in his eyes.  
  
"Out of all the things I've faced in life, you scare me the least," Serge glared. "With all your fancy speeches and talk of power. They just sound stupid. I'm not intimidated."  
  
"I know," said Atikon. "I'm you, remember? The funny thing is, you should be afraid. You have no idea what you're up against."  
  
"And I really don't care," blurted Serge, as he took off racing at his duplicate. He was charging with all his might at the crimson-haired specter. Atikon just put himself in a defensive posture and cracked a little smile.  
  
"So it begins..." Atikon whispered to himself.

* * *

"Where iz mademoiselle, Steena?" Harle asked a tired Leena. She had been watching over Serge for a good portion of last night and most of the day. The village girl had been successful in dropping her companion's fever, but his body still occasionally shook from some unseen chill. She was excited when she saw his eyes darting back and forth very rapidly under his eyelids, believing he would awake soon. That was hours ago, though. Now this action just worried her very deeply.  
  
"Oh, hello Harle. Didn't expect to see you back from your 'mission' so soon. I think she was heading over to Doc's tent last I saw her. She was laughing very strangely too. Kind of freaked me out to tell you the truth," Leena replied.  
  
"Zank you, Leena. Keep a close watch on him, oui," winked Harle. She then began to walk out of the tent.  
  
"Harle?" Leena called out.  
  
"Oui?"  
  
"What's going on? Will Serge be OK?"  
  
"Moi does not know zis. But moi will try to 'elp." Harle then hurried out of the tent. She bent down next to Riddel, who was leaning against a rock. The princess had circles under her eyes, but had vowed not to rest until she found out the fate of Serge's health.  
  
"Where is our shaman?" Riddel asked.  
  
"In ze stinkee tent," answered Harle.  
  
"To Doc's it is then. I just hope we are not too late." The pair then hurried off to the other side of the campsite.  
  
Doc was sitting down in the lotus position in the center of his tent. He had some incense burning off to the side. The wind chimes hanging from the outside were blowing gentle music in the breeze. It might have looked like he was meditating to the casual observer, but this was far from the truth.  
  
'Dude, those brownies I made last night were awesome,' the physician thought to himself.  
  
"Hey, bucko!" shouted Steena, startling Doc.  
  
"Ummm...hey Steena..." said Doc, not quite up to speed. "What're you doing here?"  
  
"I brought you a treat! It's from a special stash out back!" Steena then took out a small bag and put it out for the surfer to see. It looked to be ground up leaves of some kind.  
  
"Did you say 'stash'? Man, that looks so good." Doc then began to lick his lips. "What do you want for it, dude?"  
  
"Consider it on the house," Steena replied. "Go ahead, try some."  
  
Doc then opened the pouch and pulled out some of the crushed leaves. Talking a sniff, he affirmed that they were indeed good. He then pulled a bigger leaf out from underneath his sleeping bag and began to roll the smaller ones into it. With a few small licks, he sealed it shut. He then brought the newly formed cigarette up to his lips.  
  
"You want some?" he asked, while getting his lighter ready.  
  
"No thanks," smiled Steena. "I wouldn't want to rob you of this ecstasy."

"Your loss, dude," Doc said, as he lit his special cigarette. He took in a few puffs and coughed a little. He then tried to suck down more smoke, but found it increasingly difficult to do so. It felt like his throat was on fire and sweat was beginning to bead down his face.  
  
"I also don't want to rob myself of this entertainment!" laughed Steena.  
  
"What...the...you..." croaked Doc. His eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets and there was a ringing in his ears, which was growing louder by the second.  
  
"Never take drugs from a stranger," chided Steena. "They might be poison!"  
  
Riddel and Harle then charged into the tent. They took one look at the situation and could tell something was wrong.  
  
"What have you done to him?" Riddel asked, her voice filled with concern.  
  
"Little old me?" chuckled Steena, feigning innocence. "I have no idea what you're..."  
  
"Zis iz madness!" shot Harle. Just then, Doc gasped his last breath and fell over. His skin was a sickly blue and he felt hot to the touch. Harle and Riddel rushed over to do something for the surfer, but they were too late.  
  
"Steena, where is your Dragon Emblem?" asked Riddel, trying to remain calm.  
  
"Huh?! That old thing? Such a load to carry!" the shaman answered, rather annoyed.  
  
"That may be so," agreed Riddel. "But as Chieftain of Guldove, it is a responsibility you have been honored with. I hope you have not disgraced your name..."  
  
"Fine, fine, fine," said Steena, as she searched through the pockets of her pouch. She then found what she was looking for and pulled something out of her belt. "I've had it with me all the time. It's never left me. See?!"  
  
Harle and Riddel's eyes both opened wide at what Steena held in her hand. It was an old and rotten piece of fruit. There were a few worms crawling around the sides of it too.  
  
"Zat iz not ze Dragon Emblem!" exclaimed Harle. "Zat iz a rotton apple!"  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Steena said. "This is definitely the Dragon Emblem."

"I believe this is what you are looking for," smiled Riddel, as she pulled out the true Dragon Artifact. Steena just scoffed at her.  
  
"What you're holding in your hand is crap!" Steena laughed, as if someone was trying to play a joke on her. "Anyone can clearly see what I hold is the real deal!" The shaman then held the rotten apple close to her cheek and nuzzled against it.  
  
"Looks like we shall have to force it into her hand," sighed Riddel, as she looked over at the harlequin.  
  
"Oui, follow my lead." Harle then teleported out of sight.  
  
"Where'd the crazy lady...?" began Steena, as Harle materialized right next to her. The jester then brought her fist clean across Steena's face, knocking the chieftain to the floor. As she hit the ground, she lost her grip on the rotten apple. Riddel took her cue and ran toward the fallen priestess. Holding the Dragon Emblem up for a second, she quickly placed it into Steena's open fingers.  
  
The Dragon Emblem then glowed a burning white in Steena's hand. The glow then slowly spread through her entire body until she was fully enveloped. Pushing herself to her feet, she stood with her arms outstretched, her aura reaching its peak intensity. White light then erupted out from her body, temporarily blinding Harle and Riddel. When their vision returned, they were greeted with the sight of Steena rubbing her head, as if clearing away the last remnants of the foreign spell.  
  
"I have...not been myself as of late, have I?" asked Steena.  
  
"No, lady Steena," Riddel replied. "But how do you feel now?"  
  
"Much better. All thanks to you two. Although Harle does have a fierce right hook..." said Steena, as she rubbed the side of her face. She then looked toward the dead body of Doc. "Was this my doing?"  
  
"Oui, mademoiselle Steena," answered Harle. "But 'e waz useless baggage. Zere iz more import'nt matterz. Zerge iz in a coma. Guile zaid you could 'elp." At the mention of this piece of information, Steena's head perked up.  
  
"Serge? What is wrong with him?" she asked.  
  
"No one really knows," said Riddel. "But he fell into his trance after unexpectedly attacking Leena a few days ago. She said he spoke in a voice filled with hatred. His eyes were not their normal blue either. They were a blood red."  
  
"Anything else?" Steena wondered, pressing for details. "Did it seem he was at odds with himself? Maybe fighting against something?"  
  
"Now zat you mention zat, moi do remember mademoiselle Leena zaying somet'ing like zat," added Harle.  
  
"I wish I had never mistakenly brought this item with me," Steena said, saddened. "It appears it has fallen into the wrong hands. You must bring me to him at once! I will attempt to fix what has been done!"  
  
"Why? What is wrong with him?" prodded Riddel.  
  
"He is fighting his dark side. And heaven help us all if he loses. Now please, take me to him." The three women then exited the tent in haste.

* * *

Meanwhile, Serge was giving his all against the double, but it seemed to be useless. Whenever he swung his weapon high, Atikon moved to the side and hit him low. Every opening he saw vanished too quickly. After a few minutes of sparring, he was out of breath and pained, but Atikon had nary a scratch on him.  
  
"What's the matter big baby?" teased Atikon. "Can't keep up? I told you I was better than you. Just give up now. I promise to kill Leena and the others reeeeaaalllll slowly."  
  
"Don't you dare harm her!" Serge yelled, emotion coursing through him. As he charged at Atikon, his swallow flared up with a bright white light. Atikon attempted to block, but the force was too strong and he was flung back. Serge walked away, satisfied his troubles were over, when he heard that same mocking laughter again.  
  
"The child finally learns to fight," Atikon laughed, as he bolted to his feet. "Good. We're in your mind, you fool. You can do much more here than out there! Now let's do this for real. Anything less would be an insult to both you and me. Prepare yourself! I'm not going to hold anything back anymore!" Atikon then gripped his swallow and shot up into the air.  
  
"You're not getting away from that easily!" shouted Serge. He gripped his own weapon and took off after Atikon. "Stop running you coward!"  
  
"Who's running?" asked Atikon, sounding hurt. "I'm just getting a better angle on you so I can do this!" He then gripped his swallow and burned red. His weapon then made many miniature duplicates of itself, all homing in on Serge. The villager tried to evade them all, but a few bit into his skin, not slowing him down much.  
  
"Is that all?" wondered Serge. "You'll have to do more..." He was then interrupted by a giant swallow, which suddenly crashed down onto him. Screaming, he tore himself free from the oversized weapon. "I have seen that before..."  
  
"Yes, familiar, isn't it?" said Atikon, finishing Serge's question. "Like I said, I'm you and so much more. As a by-product of my persona taking form, I was also imbued with other powers. With each life force that left this island, I gained some of their knowledge and power. Like that move you saw back there. I stole that one from the little bunny rabbit."  
  
"What else do you have hidden up your sleeve, traitor?!"  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" cackled Atikon. "In due time, you'll see much more than that, I assure you!" He then brought his swallow up into the air and the tip of it glowed green. Serge instinctively moved to the side just in time, as a giant black star narrowly missed him.  
  
"Two can play at that game," said Serge. He then attempted to conjure up one of his ally's special moves. Try as he might though, nothing happened.  
  
"Tsk, tsk," Atikon chided him. "I told you, idiot. These abilities are a by-product of my formation. They belong to me and me alone. You're just going to have to rely on your own moxie and foolish courage. Not like that's stopped you before..."  
  
"I will end you!" Serge yelled, as he flew at his doppelganger.  
  
"Looks like I caught a big one," said Atikon, as a string suddenly appeared at the end of his swallow, now shining blue. He cast it at Serge, the hook making a perfect connection. He tugged and used Serge's own momentum against him, hurling him into a newly formed stone wall. Dazed but not out, Serge again floated to stare at Atikon head on.  
  
"Just give up now," Atikon said. "You can't beat me."  
  
Growing frustrated, Serge just rushed at Atikon, and the two began their mad dance once again.

**By: Daredevil3181**

* * *

Round 34 – Orlha (S), Fargo (K)

"Still bent on the straightforward approach, eh?" sneered Atikon. "This ought to shake things up then." As Serge was racing toward Atikon, a stone walkway materialized underneath him. The duplicate then let his foot charge with a yellow energy before bringing it down with a tremendous force on the floor. The ground immediately trembled and then began to heave rather violently. Serge was being tossed around as if he was in a child's pinball machine. When the trembling finally ceased he tried to shake the ringing in his head.  
  
"I...will find...a way to stop you," said Serge, the battle beginning to take its toll on him.  
  
"Well, you better do something quickly," chuckled Atikon. "Because I'm going to give you a hint. What you're doing now isn't exactly working."  
  
'He's right,' Serge said to himself. 'I really need to change my tactics if I ever want to get out of this in one piece.' Serge then concentrated on his own unique aura until he shone with an inner light. He then created a ball of compact energy. Summoning all of his strength, he hurled this at Atikon.  
  
"Ah, the light of the luminaire," said Atikon. "Not a bad idea. At least you're doing something different. Too bad it won't hit me." Atikon then brought his swallow up to shoulder level, the tip pointed right at the ball of inner energy. He then began to rotate the tip of his weapon in a clockwise circle as it glowed yellow. A miniature tornado then shot out and intercepted the luminaire.  
  
"Now for my favorite part," laughed Atikon. Using the windstorm to grip the ball, he then brought it around at Serge. The ball turned as black as night as it hurtled toward the normally silent mime. Serge tried to fly out of the way, but he was just too tired to keep up the same speed he had been using earlier. The ball struck him hard in the shoulder. Wincing in pain, Serge's vision began to blacken before he shook his head to regain his bearings.  
  
'Well, that didn't work either,' pondered Serge. 'What can I do to hurt this guy? He halts my charges and uses my projectiles against me. Nothing I can think of seems to work. Unless..."  
  
Serge called forth his aura energy then and fired another luminaire at Atikon. This one wasn't as large as before, but Serge hoped it would do its job. He waited a few seconds and then sped off after it.  
  
"Some people never learn," said Atikon. His swallow then emanated a yellow light as he made a direct horizontal cut in the air in front of him. This left a trail that remained fixed in that position. He then joined his horizontal line with two more. One was a diagonal cut up and the other was a diagonal cut down. His counter set in place, he then gave it a gentle nudge and sent it on its way to intercept Serge's energy ball.  
  
Atikon's force of air collided with Serge's luminaire, destroying it upon impact. It kept on traveling though, and expanding ever larger. Undaunted, Serge did not slow down, but in fact sped up toward it. Just before he was about to feel the force of Atikon's creation he changed direction and hurled his swallow as if it were a javelin.  
  
"You weren't supposed to..." started the doppelganger as Serge's new projectile ripped into his body. It left a hole on the side of him, which immediately began spilling out thick, black smoke. Atikon then put his hand to his side, and with a little concentration, sealed up his wound. Serge was smiling a short way off in the distance, his swallow in his hand once more. "You'll pay for that," groaned Atikon.  
  
'So he can be hurt,' Serge congratulated himself. 'I just have to be creative in my tactics.'  
  
"I'll admit, you caught me off guard with that one," snarled Atikon. "But don't expect that to happen again. Think you're the only one who can throw your swallow? Think again!"

Atikon then charged his swallow with a green light and chucked it at Serge like a boomerang. Serge quickly dived down, as the weapon passed over his head harmlessly. Atikon also followed him in his descent, a devilish grin still on his face. 'Why is he...?" thought Serge, when he suddenly realized what his opponent was doing.  
  
Serge then shot up just in time to avoid the swallow's return trip. Atikon's smile had turned into a frown by the time he caught the pseudo boomerang in his outstretched hand. 'Good thing I remembered that move always returned the axe to Karsh's hand,' Serge thought. 'That could have been very bad for me otherwise.'  
  
"So, you dodged one. Big deal!" Atikon yelled, frustration evident in his voice. "Let's see you dodge two!"  
  
A green aura again surrounded his weapon and when it dissipated, Atikon was now holding an exact duplicate of his swallow. He then hurled both projectiles at Serge. One was arcing in from the right and the other arcing in from the left.  
  
Serge climbed higher, but the two swallows seemed to home in on him just the same. 'Well, the right one is coming in faster, so I better try to stop that one first,' Serge reasoned. He shot forward and down toward Atikon and smashed his swallow into the incoming weapon. It vanished in a puff of smoke. He then spun around to his left just in time to send the other swallow back into the nothingness from which it came.  
  
'Now for Atikon,' Serge thought, as he spun around to face his enemy.  
  
"Fore!" shouted Atikon, as he brought his swallow, now shining red, down hard on a dense, black piece of metal, sending it right at the village boy. With no time to react, Serge caught the brunt of the attack right between his eyes. He immediately blacked out and began to fall.  
  
"Have a happy landing, champ!" Atikon called out to the spiraling form.

* * *

Back in reality, Fargo sat alone at the bar. Only Orlha, with her calm and cheerful smile, was present, wiping down a few of the glasses with her always-handy hand towel. Fargo had been coming frequently ever since it was discovered that Marcy had died. Orlha couldn't blame him. She felt terrible when Tia died, and his pain was only multiplied. One should never have to bury their child, and still, Fargo did so.  
  
"Orlha, give me another," he said. He had downed all of the good beer, and the only stuff she had now tasted acidic and burned when it went down. "Bathtub beer", Orlha and Doc had made the stuff, and they never thought they'd have to use it. Still, the pirate drank it without any problems.  
  
"Captain Fargo, are you feeling alright?" she asked sympathetically. "Do you want to talk about Marcy?"  
  
"What? No, I don't. I want to talk about Leah," he said.  
  
"Leah?"  
  
"Yeah, I...I KILLED HER! I cleaved her in two with me sword," he wallowed, crying out in anguish.  
  
"I'm sure you didn't do it on purpose."  
  
"Orlha, w'at should I do? How can I stop dis old heart from achin'?" Fargo asked, leaning forward on the bar and looking into her eyes.  
  
"Captain Fargo, you're scaring me. I don't have the answer to that question."  
  
"Dammit, tell me, what be the answer! I know ye know, lassie!" Fargo, obviously drunk, leaned forward even more, grabbing her by the collar.  
  
"Captain Fargo, STOP!" she shouted, punching him across the face. He sailed backward and landed on his back, and for a second, Orlha thought she punched him out. But he stood up a few seconds later, a look of death in his eyes.  
  
"Ye be hittin' me?! Ye don't know what ye be dealin' with!" He shouted, drawing his sword. He roughly slashed Orlha in a diagonal slash across her body. It drew blood, but the wound was superficial, and it only served to anger her.

"That's it, you're goin' down!" Orlha shouted, jumping over the bar and getting into her fighting stance. Fargo threw out mostly clumsy slashes that would have only caught Orlha were she unaware. She dodged nimbly, spinning on her heels and even turning a few back handsprings.  
  
"Once last chance, Fargo. Calm down and let's talk," she said. He didn't answer.  
  
"Fine, I'm sorry," Orlha said. When Fargo slashed again, she dodged to her left, and grabbed a long stretch of rope. She swiftly placed the rope on Fargo's neck and roughly started to asphyxiate him, trying to knock him out. However, Fargo moved to try and slash her, so she quickly dodged to her left.  
  
SNAP! She heard something that was undoubtedly Fargo's neck breaking. His body became limp and she sank to the ground.  
  
"I didn't..." she said to herself.  
  
"Orlha!" came Norris's voice. "You're wounded," he said, reaching into his survival gear kit to get a role of sterile bandages.  
  
"Norris, I..." Orlha said.  
  
"Shhh, don't talk," he told her. He checked Fargo's pulse and affirmed him to be dead. Norris then handed Orlha some of those bandages to patch herself up.  
  
When she finished, she looked better, but she was still pale.  
  
"You did what you had to. I saw what happened. It was kill or be killed, however cruel it sounds," he said.  
  
"I know. At least...he finally is peaceful," she said sadly, then turned away.  
  
"I should close the bar." She mused aloud. "Too many memories, not enough customers now."

* * *

Leena had been doting over Serge for a good deal of time now, hoping that each new breath would be the one in which he would awaken. Alas, this was not the case. She could also barely make out faint laughter coming from his throat. Rather than make her happy, this laughter chilled her to the bone. It sounded like the same menacing voice that had attacked her a few days ago.  
  
"Show me where he is," ordered Steena, as she burst through the tent. Riddel and Harle followed her closely.  
  
"He's right here, Steena," said Leena, as she pointed to the comatose body of Serge. "I got the fever down, but..."  
  
"You must let me do what needs to be done," the shaman interrupted. "Before all hope is lost."  
  
"Sure, whatever you think will help him," assented Leena, as she got up and out of Steena's way.  
  
Steena then bent over the sick boy and took out her Dragon Emblem. Channeling her power into it, she then touched it to Serge's head. However, the healing light had no effect as Serge remained unconscious.

"This is very bad," remarked Steena. "Generally the healing touch of the Dragon Emblem can fix most minds that are out of sorts. For it not to work now would mean that his madness has progressed to a very critical level."  
  
"Iz zere anyt'ing you can do?" asked Harle.  
  
"There is one way," answered Steena. "But it is very dangerous. I have to enter into Serge's mind with him."  
  
"The realm of mental pathways can be a very confusing place," said Riddel. "You could even get lost in there yourself."  
  
"I understand this risk," said Steena. "But it is one I am willing to take. Please watch over my body while my mind has joined with his. I am not sure how long this will take."  
The priestess then bent over Serge's limp body. Concentrating all of her spiritual power into the Dragon Emblem, she placed it on his forehead. With a single breath to steady her, Steena then entered into Serge's mind.  
  
The shaman suddenly found herself in an area of almost nothingness. Her feet were on seemingly solid translucent blue glass. She heard faint sounds up above her and she craned her head to get a better view. It was then that she saw a limp form spiraling down to the ground.  
  
"Serge!" she cried out. Steena then took off in a mad dash to stop the boy's impending impact. Just as he was about to hit the ground, she dove at him. The priestess caught him just in time.  
  
"Serge, please wake up," pleaded Steena, as she held him like a mother would hold a baby. "You need to fight this thing and I can help you!"  
  
"Wha...huh...Steena?" he said as his eyes fluttered open. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"There's no time to explain," Steena replied. "What matters is that I can give you the extra power you need."  
  
Just then a tremor shook the ground as a figure crashed down a short distance away. Atikon stood up, hatred burning in his eyes.  
  
"You would do well to leave him alone, witch," warned Atikon. "He was losing just fine by himself."  
  
"Which is why I came to help," shot back Steena. "You will not win. You have to know that. Even if you can beat Serge inside the mental realm, others will stop you in the real world."  
  
"We'll see," said Atikon. "Although it's hard to argue with true power. And I've got that in spades."  
  
Steena then helped Serge to his feet. "Charge at him," she whispered into his ear.  
  
"What...?" he whispered back. "He'll just knock me down again..."  
  
"Trust me on this one," assured Steena. Serge then nodded his head to her. With a look toward his duplicate he took off running.  
  
"Oh, come on," said Atikon, not believing his eyes. "How many times has this tactic failed?" He didn't notice Steena holding her Dragon Emblem out.  
  
As Serge raced at his opponent, he began to shine with a brilliant white light. Suddenly, armor began to cover his body. First, his bandanna became a helmet. Next, his shirt became a breastplate and extended to cover his arms and legs. Finally, his swallow transformed into a lance and a shield materialized in his other arm.

Not worrying about this new development, Atikon called down a gigantic black robot as his swallow emanated a faint white glow. He then ordered it to fire at the oncoming Serge. With a wave of its mechanized arms, it began to fire its lasers at the shining knight. Serge instinctively raised his shield and to his astonishment, deflected all of Atikon's robot's attacks harmlessly away. He then stretched out his lance even farther in anticipation of his victory.  
  
"Oh ..." began Atikon, as he put his swallow up in a feeble defense. Serge tore right through it and into Atikon's chest. The doppelganger screamed in pain as the swallow erupted through his back. Black, wispy smoke exited the wound as Atikon struggled to extricate himself from the lance with little success.  
  
"I can't lose to you!" he screamed. "This isn't the way it's supposed to be!"  
  
"Tough luck," said Serge, coldly, as he ripped his lance out with a sickening tear.  
  
Atikon slumped to the ground. He tried to heal the gaping hole in his chest, but the searing white edges prevented this. 'He never had this much power before!' Atikon thought to himself. His eyes roved around for a little before finally locking in on Steena, who was still channeling her power into the Dragon Emblem. 'So that's the problem,' he reasoned.  
  
With great difficulty, Atikon pushed himself to his feet. He was getting weaker by the second as his life-force spilled out of him. The evil duplicate swung his arm around and let his swallow fly at Serge. Serge moved to the side and watched the swallow fly harmlessly by.  
  
"Hah! You missed me!" Serge chided.  
  
"Yeah. Good thing it wasn't you I was aiming for," Atikon spoke very calmly.  
  
Serge whipped his head around to see the weapon going straight for the preoccupied Steena. He tried to stop it in time, but was too slow. With a clang, the swallow pierced the shaman's hand, causing her to release the Dragon Emblem. Serge's protective gear and lance then vanished.  
  
"Well, that's more like it," said Atikon, as he closed his injury up. "I don't like interference. This was a fight between sissy boy and me." He then began to walk toward the shaken chieftain. Serge put his hand on Atikon to restrain him, but his evil twin shrugged him off almost effortlessly. He then kicked Serge in the stomach and sent him sliding across the glass surface.  
  
"You know you will not win," said Steena feebly, as she scrambled to pick up the Dragon Emblem again. Just as she was about to grab it, Atikon's boot stomped down on her outstretched hand.  
  
"You want this piece of junk so bad?" Atikon asked, as he bent to pick up the artifact. "Be my guest. As soon as I finish with it first, though." He then charged it with black energy until it practically swallowed up all the available light. Once he deemed it ready, he thrust it into Steena's fingers. "Say hi to 'Dad'," he whispered.  
  
The shaman touched the Dragon Emblem with a howl. It felt like a million knives were digging into her skin. She tried to fight the power, but Atikon's influence was too strong. She then disappeared from the battlefield.  
  
"Now, where were we?" Atikon laughed, while cracking his knuckles.  
  
Steena's mind was thrust abruptly back into her body as she hit the floor of the tent with a thud.  
  
"Steena, are you all right?" asked Riddel, helping the shaman to her feet.  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine, Riddel," answered Steena. "Serge however..."

"Ze Dragon Emblem!" interrupted Harle, as she pointed at what Steena held.  
  
"What about it?" she asked, as she looked down at the artifact. It looked normal to her. However, on closer inspection, she could tell something was a little out of place. Then, it hit her. It was a pulsing with a dark energy. "Oh no, Atikon must have..."  
  
That was all Steena was able to get out as the black energy from the Dragon Emblem enveloped her body. She looked to the others for help, but her plea was too late. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from sight.  
  
Steena looked at her new surroundings. She was standing on some type of rock. In the distance she could hear the sound of rushing water.  
  
"Well, it looks like I have a visitor," said a voice, almost teasing the shaman. The figure then stepped into the light so she could have a better look.  
  
"Lynx! You treacherous cat!" Steena shouted.  
  
"I see you have met my son," the feline demi-human continued. "Atikon has been progressing along just fine, it seems. You, on the other hand, have worn out your welcome. Prepare yourself for the void!"

**By: Daredevil3181 and Matt620**


	9. Every Battle Must Have a Victor, Round 3...

I figured it would be easier to give this round it's own chapter, as two pivotal battles play out here. It might seem like the end for two characters we care about, but all I have to say is all is not as it seems. Keep this round in mind, but remember that justice will eventually be served. Just as there are still characters left on the island of Perfidia, fire and hope still burns in their hearts. But will it be enough to shake the growing darkness?

* * *

Round 35 – Lynx (S), Steena(K) **  
  
**"I am not a doll to be thrown to the wild," said Steena. "I can fight you just well enough on my own. And I will beat you."  
  
"Brave words for one about to die," teased Lynx.  
  
"What you have done to Serge is wrong and unjust," she said, eyes narrowing at the feline demi-human.  
  
"Yes, but is it not fun?" laughed Lynx.  
  
"Eidolons, come forth and aid me," whispered Steena, as she attempted to call on her guardians.  
  
"We won't be having any of that!" Lynx thundered. He quickly cast his black element, as energy surrounded the two of them. Try as she might, Steena found that none of her magical power would come forth.  
  
"This is going to be a physical battle, my dear," said Lynx. "Let's see you put that sword of yours to use."  
  
"I may not be able to match you in strength," admitted Steena, as she drew her blade. "But I more than make up for that in skill." She then rushed at the cat-man.

* * *

"Now, where were we in this little battle? Oh yeah, I was about to knock you into next Tuesday," Atikon reminded himself. "How could I be so forgetful?" He then began to march over toward Serge.  
  
'Gotta...keep...fighting,' Serge thought to himself. He then slowly rose to his feet. 'My techs are mostly useless. He knocks back my physical attacks. What else do I have left? Maybe my elements...?'  
  
"Ding, dong, the Arni boy is dead..." whistled Atikon to himself, as he walked ever closer to the extremely weakened Serge.  
  
'Here goes nothing,' Serge told himself. He held up his hand, which glowed a faint yellow. The ground around Atikon began to rumble slightly. Suddenly a big stone formation burst out of the ground, knocking Atikon flat on his back. A faint chime was heard off in the distance.  
  
"Damn, you never do give up, do you?" asked Atikon, as he brushed himself off. "Stubborn ass that you are. But I guess I should have known that being you and all." He then got up and began to trot over to Serge once more.  
  
"This should heat things up," said Serge. His hand glowed red now. The air around Atikon became very hot. A huge pillar of fire suddenly encased the double. It then dissipated, leaving the blistered duplicate very uncomfortable. Another chime was heard far away.  
  
"T-t-time to p-p-pull out all th-th-the stops then," trembled Atikon. He held his swallow out in front of him and concentrated. It glowed green and he twirled around very fast. He then vanished from sight.  
  
"Where'd you run off to?!" shouted Serge. "Show yourself, coward!"  
  
Serge's request was finally answered as Atikon erupted from the ground right underneath the normally quiet boy. He brought his swallow around in an uppercut-like fashion, catching Serge right on the underside of his chin. Serge went sailing into the air and then came crashing down as the wind was knocked out from him. A third chime now played from a far off place.  
  
'What is that music?' Serge asked himself. 'It sounds so familiar, while at the same time, different.' He stole a glance at his grid to see what elements he still had remaining. 'Damn, I'm starting to run low.'  
  
"Hey, wimp. Check out what I just learned!" Atikon smiled. He held his weapon out in front of him as he shone with a freakish blue aura. The doppelganger then charged straight at Serge. The villager tried to move out of the way, but his strength was just not up to the task.

* * *

Lynx drew out his own hooked weapon and parried her attack away. He then chopped low, but she was ready for it and hopped over his blade. As she landed on her feet again, she stabbed Lynx in the shoulder. He winced in pain and then rammed into her, knocking her down.  
  
"You witch! You will pay for that!" Lynx then tried to drive his hook into Steena's abdomen, but the chieftain managed to roll away in time. Once again on her feet, she waved her sword around in her unique fighting stance.  
  
"Come at me, swine," Steena scathed.

With a growl, Lynx took off running. As soon as he reached the priestess, he brought his hook around in a downward chop. Steena dodged his blade to the side and then slashed with her sword diagonally across Lynx's side. She let her momentum carry her into a crouch, but she did not stop there. With an outstretched foot, she knocked the feline's feet out from under him. Steena smiled in satisfaction as Lynx hit the ground hard.  
  
Down, but not out, Lynx wrapped his legs around Steena's. He jerked his legs toward him, causing Steena to lose her balance. She toppled to the ground not far from Lynx. With a start, he brought his hook down on top of her. 'I have her now,' he laughed to himself.  
  
Not missing a beat, Steena brought her sword up to deflect the blade. She then kicked Lynx hard in the face with one of her boots. As he tried to recover from the shock, she followed her onslaught up with a kick from her other leg. Lynx shrank away from the shaman's feet, now lapping up the blood that was dripping from his face.  
  
"I have underestimated you, witch," he chuckled. "This fight is going to be much more interesting than I thought."  
  
"Just do not be surprised when you end up the loser," Steena warned him.  
  
The two combatants then circled each other, neither one wanting to make the next move. Steena waved her sword back and forth while Lynx tested the air with his hook. Finally, Steena could not take the lull any longer and she dashed at the feline.  
  
Atikon slashed Serge across his midline. He then brought his swallow around and made a diagonal cut across Serge's upper chest. Atikon then followed his second cut up with a jagged slash across the legs. Finally, he finished off his onslaught by impaling Serge right through the stomach.  
  
"Not so nice to be on the receiving end of this, is it?" whispered Atikon into Serge's ear. He then brought his foot up and kicked Serge off his weapon. As the mime hit the ground he saw wispy strands of white smoke exiting his body. He knew he didn't have much time left. If he was going to make a move to stop this monstrosity he better act now. Again the chiming resonated throughout the air.  
  
'Wait...I know I've heard that sound before..." Serge thought, trying to jog his memory. As he got up, something tumbled out of his shirt. With wobbly legs, he bent down to pick it up. 'The Chrono Cross! That's what's been making those sounds! It helped Schala before. Maybe it could help me too...?'  
  
"Stop dawdling," ordered Atikon. "I need control of this body now. Places to go, people to kill, nations to conquer. You know how it is."  
  
"Count me out then," Serge said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Show me what else you've learned."  
  
"Well, if you insist," assented Atikon. He then threw his swallow, now shining black, into the air. It settled right above Serge as thunderclouds began to gather around it. Lightning churned within the storm.

'He's done what I hoped he would,' Serge congratulated himself. 'Now I just hope this kicks in as planned...'  
  
Black lightning then rolled down into the swallow suspended above Serge's head. The mute collapsed to the ground, his energy reserves almost totally spent. Atikon recalled his weapon back into his waiting hands. A fifth chime rang from all around the two combatants.  
  
"So this is how it all ends, hmmmm?" the double laughed. "The mighty Serge beaten by a twisted version of himself? You're pathetic. I'm sickened just looking at you. Good thing I'll be the one in control now."  
  
'Have...to...,' thought Serge as he struggled against the blackness. 'Not...done...but...still...try...' He then touched the Chrono Cross. The five elements then resonated with the healing power, as both Serge and Atikon were surrounded with a rainbow light.  
  
"Wha...?" wondered Atikon, as two flames then leapt out from the Chrono Cross.  
  
"AAAAHHHHHH!" both Serge and Atikon screamed in unison.

* * *

Steena lunged forward with her sword. Lynx blocked the blow and then raked his claws across her face. This action startled her somewhat, but not enough to make a big difference. She then reared her sword back as if she was going to attempt another strike. Lynx moved down into a blocking position to intercept the blow. Instead, she surprised him by delivering a solid kick to his gut.  
  
Clutching his stomach, Lynx backed off a few steps. Steena didn't stop there, though. Her sword bit into the flesh of his weapon-hand with a backhand slash. As pain shot up through Lynx's wrist, he dropped his hook and applied pressure to stem the flow of blood. Although not detached, his dominant hand was now very badly injured and practically useless for the rest of this fight.  
  
Seeing no other options, Lynx slammed into Steena, trying to dislodge her sword. The two fell onto the granite floor, still entangled with one another. Steena managed to wiggle both her legs free. Calling on all her strength reserves, she snapped her legs out and into the chin of the feline. Lynx collapsed onto the ground.  
  
"You have lost," Steena said, pointing the tip of her sword at Lynx's exposed throat. "Any final words?"  
  
"Yes..." Lynx whispered. "Looks can be deceiving..." His fist suddenly glowed an eerie black, as he slammed it into the ground. Black holes, celestial space, and all the darkness of the universe whizzed by Steena. Assaulted on all fronts, she cried out and fell to the ground.

* * *

When the power of the Chrono Cross subsided, one figure was still on his knees. The other was not moving. Using his swallow to push himself to his feet, he looked back at his fallen foe. He walked over to the limp body. And then he craned his head back and laughed long and hard.  
  
"You almost found my weak spot!" cackled Atikon. "But the melody was not complete! The gamble drained you instead!"  
  
He then approached the unmoving body. The doppelganger gave it one last look before kicking it hard in the side. Atikon stretched his hands out and let them shine with his inner darkness.

Black goo began to pour out from the ground around Serge. It flowed all around him until Serge was encased in a dark sphere. Two tiny holes then opened up before the vanquished counterpart was totally trapped within the ball.  
  
"Now you'll feel the same torture I did all those years," Atikon said, hatred in his voice. "You'll be able to hear everything, but unable to do anything. Ta-ta, loser!" Atikon then took off into the blackness, to finally reanimate the dormant body.

* * *

Leena was just catching a quick nap when Serge suddenly opened his eyes. He coughed a few times and struggled to his feet. Leena rushed over to help.  
  
"You're still weak from your coma," Leena said to him, putting her hand on top of his. "I'm just happy you're..." Something then caught Leena's eye. Serge's hair had changed. It was now streaked with red and becoming more crimson by the second.  
  
"Thanks babe," chuckled a deep voice. Atikon stared right at Leena with his fiery eyes.  
  
"What have you done with him?" Leena pleaded.  
  
"He's history! And if I were you I would stay out of my way!" Atikon snarled. He then rummaged around his person until he found what he was looking for. In his hand he now held the Chrono Cross.  
  
"Can't let this fall into the wrong hands," Atikon observed. "That could be bad for yours truly." He then let the relic fall to the ground. With a resounding stomp, he broke the Chrono Cross into a myriad of pieces. Looking up into the sky, he took to the air, leaving behind a hole in the tent.  
  
"Toodles!" Atikon called out to a shocked Leena, as he flew to another section of the island.

* * *

"H-h-how...?" the shaman tried to ask, shivering with the cold of unspeakable horrors.  
  
"Don't you know anything about strategy?" Lynx asked, feigning shock. He then unbuttoned the top portion of his shirt to reveal a medallion. Suspended by a fine silver chain was a disk with a gruesome caricature on it. The face had two horns on its head, many rows of teeth, and appeared to be laughing at her. Lynx then tucked his daemon charm away. "Always come prepared."  
  
Steena clutched the Dragon Emblem close to her as she tried to use its power against Lynx. It was no use though, as it still resonated with Atikon's evil. Lynx was walking over to his hook and smiling at the shaman the whole way. 'If I can't use it against him, at least I can warn the others,' she thought.  
  
The chieftain concentrated the last of her mental energy and attempted to make contact with the first person she could. Norris was close, but his mind was not open enough. Leena was in a state of shock and not very receptive. Finally, she was able to tune in to someone.  
  
'Harle...' Steena called out.  
  
'Oui, mademoiselle Steena,' said Harle, establishing a mindlink with the shaman. 'What iz it? Where are you?'  
  
'No time to explain,' answered Steena. 'All I can tell you is you have to stop Lynx and Atikon. Gather up the others and take whatever action necessary. If they emerge victorious, it could mean more than just us missing out on a wish. It might spell doom for many others.'  
  
'Tell me where you are,' the jester prodded. 'Per'aps moi can..."  
  
"Have a nice chat?" Lynx questioned, as he snatched the Dragon Emblem from Steena's hand, breaking the connection. His once-injured hand was now adequately healed. And in it he held his wicked hooked blade.  
  
"They will stop you," Steena whispered.  
  
"Maybe. But it doesn't matter if I live or die anymore. The wheels of motion are already set in place. No one can stop them. All I need to do now is wait." Lynx then brought his hook back for the killing blow.  
  
'I pray the others are strong enough,' was the last thought Steena had, before the darkness of death claimed the shaman.

**By: Daredevil3181**


	10. The Hunt Begins, Rounds 36 and 37

Once we hit the Top 10, the other writers and myself decided to try a different approach to the normal format. Being that Lynx and Atikon were two enemies that must be stopped, we decided to have the remaining characters band together and actually work toward this common goal. The two villains weren't just going to stand around and wait to be caught however, so we turned the island they were on, Perfidia into a maze of sorts, where the voters not only had to vote on who they should kill, but which sections of the island they wished to search. Read on for further rules, as it will make more sense.

For every round, please cast a vote for one character to Kill. You cannot vote to Kill Lynx or Atikon. In order to finally catch these two, you must choose two grids per round to be searched on the island. If the correct grids are guessed and one of the two is there, they will automatically be captured and killed that round. Otherwise, the other character with the most Kill votes will die either by accident, by Lynx's minions that now roam the island, or through Atikon's illusions.

Perfidia is divided into 12 sections, each with unique features. Think of it like a clock, with 12 at the top and 6 at the bottom.

**Perfidia Sections:**

Section 1: Cliffs into the ocean, a river runs through this area.

Section 2: The river ends in an enormous waterfall into the ocean.

Section 3: Dense Tropical Forest.

Section 4: Marsh.

Section 5: Lake with small tributaries emptying into it.

Section 6: Ruins of an ancient civilization; the location of the Totem the contestants saw when they arrived.

Section 7: Mostly wide beaches.

Section 8: Tropical undergrowth.

Section 9: Grasslands.

Section 10: Rolling hills covered with pine forests.

Section 11: Rocky, mountainous area.

Section 12: Home to a large dormant volcano, the source of the river that runs through 1 and falls in 2.

The campsite is smack-dab in the middle of Perfidia.

**Team Alpha:**

Norris (captain)

Leena

Orlha

Riddel

**Team Beta: **

Harle (captain)

Irenes

Miki

Nikki

The two sections with the most votes will be searched. Team Alpha takes the higher number section and Team Beta takes the lower. Each team can search one section per round and they can move to any other section next round or stay put. Two teams cannot be in the same section in the same round. When a team is down to only one member, that member will join the other team and form Team Omega, which has the same movement restrictions as Alpha and Beta.

Lynx's movement is limited to two certain adjacent sections; he cannot go past those two sections. Lynx can move only one section per round and he may choose to remain in his current position. Atikon, on the other hand, is considerably more free. He also moves only one section per turn, but he has access to the whole island. Atikon may move one section to his left, right, or travel directly across the map. For example, if Atikon is in Section 9, he can move to Sections 8, 10, or 3. It may help to picture his movement options in the shape of the letter T. Atikon may also choose to remain in his current position.

When Lynx or Atikon leave a section, they leave behind footprints that last for one round, and the enemy is nearby if a team stumbles upon footprints when it enters a new area. After one round has passed, the footprints disappear. Pay attention to the footprints and the enemies' movement patterns to find them. This format will remain until either Lynx and Atikon are found or all the other characters are eliminated.

Top Ten Format Introduction

"Iz monsieur certain we must do zis?" asked Harle.  
  
"I'm afraid so, Harle," replied Norris. "You said you heard it from Steena herself. We need to find Lynx and Serge. I for one haven't trusted Lynx ever since we arrived on this cursed island. Serge, or Atikon as he now calls himself, is a threat both to himself and all of us. We don't really have choice." The soldier then checked the rounds left in his assortment of guns.  
  
"How do you know Steena wasn't possessed?" wondered Leena, tears welling in her eyes. "Lynx I know is bad...but Serge...? I just don't know if I can bring myself to hurt him..."  
  
Miki then place her arm on the village girl's shoulder, comforting her. "What does your heart tell you?" she asked. "I want to believe Serge is the same just as much as the rest of you. I also want to believe Steena was under a spell again and not telling us the truth. But I just know this isn't the case."  
  
"Yeah, Miki and I will help out any way we can," said Nikki, his voice filled with determination. "We may not be the strongest or the best magic-users here, but if there's one thing I've learned throughout my travels with the Magical Dreamers, it's that 'If there's a will, there's a way'."  
  
"So what's the plan then?" mused Orlha. "The sooner we find those two, the sooner we can insure our safety on this island."  
  
"We're going to split into two teams," answered Norris. "Team 'Alpha' will consist of myself, Orlha, Riddel, and Leena. Team 'Beta' will be Harle, Nikki, Miki, and Irenes. I'll be the team leader for my group. Harle, you'll be the team leader for 'Beta' as you're probably the most familiar with this island from your time as a messenger."  
  
"Everyone should be on their guard, though," warned Riddel. "I can feel Serge's evil emanating from all around. He is trying to cloud our minds even as we sit here and discuss our plan of action."  
  
"Da," agreed Irenes. "Monsters also roam dist island. Dey look like cats. Herr Lynx must have sent dem."  
  
"Every corner iz danger," expanded Harle. "But ze two must be stopped."  
  
"OK, so we're all in agreement," said Norris. "Here Harle, you take this." Norris then produced a strange device out of his survival pack. It was a small, rectangular black box with a wire of some sort coming out of it.  
  
"What iz zis for?" the jester mused, as she looked the object over.  
  
"It's a standard-issue Porre military communication device," replied Norris. "It's called a 'walkie-talkie'. Just push in that button there when you need to reach my device. I'll hear your voice and we can have a conversation. The power supply is good for a little under two weeks. Should be plenty of juice for what we need, though."  
  
"Wonders never cease to amaze," remarked Riddel.  
  
"And this island is probably just teeming with hiding spots," said Nikki. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were secret entranceways and underground tunnels all over the place. We'll have to make sure we search everything extremely carefully."  
  
"Leave no stone unturned," added Orlha.  
  
"Enough blabbering," said Norris, sternly. "Alright, everyone, are we ready to move out?!"  
  
"Yes," everyone answered in unison.  
  
"Lynx will be stopped," said Harle. "And Zerge must be healed. Either that or killed. 'Eaven 'elp us if we fail." The two teams then split up and went to search different areas of the island.

**By: Daredevil3181**

* * *

Round 36 – Norris (K), Grids: 6 and 7

"Where am I?" Riddel was in a foreign place. Surrounding her on all sides were black skyscrapers, reaching high into the sky. Riddel had to crane her neck back to see the tops of them. The buildings were made of metal, but they did not shine, as it was too dark out for any reflection. With no windows, they resembled giant dusty metallic blocks. The lady took her eyes off the tops of the metal mammoths and searched for a sun. There was no sun in sight, only gray sky and black clouds of smoke.  
  
Riddel turned her attention to ground level and looked around her. People in brown rags were slowly walking past her, some carrying heavy loads on hunched backs, some carrying boxes, none carrying smiles. Most did not pay attention to the odd girl with the colorful hair and dress, though some of the more curious ones, mostly young children, paused to gaze at her with wonder, before they were reprimanded by a floating machine for being off task. The floating machines appeared to the supervisors of these people, giving orders left and right, and telling everyone to walk faster.  
  
The Lady of Viper Manor approached a nearby man with a large bulging sac slung over his shoulder, "Excuse me, sir? What is this place?" The man ignored her and walked past the confused Riddel. Not giving up, she tried the one behind him. "Ma'am? Could you please tell me where I am?" No answer there, either.  
  
With a sigh, Riddel continued walking down the smooth paved street until she saw an elderly man walk into one of the drab buildings. She followed him to the door, but was frozen in her tracks by a profusion of beeps and whistles. "Stop right there! Where are your working clothes? Tell me your ID!"  
  
Riddel turned around to find one of those floating machines behind her with a flashing light atop it. "ID? I do not know about any ID..."  
  
"You refuse to cooperate? If you do not tell me your ID this instant, I will be forced to bring you to our god!"  
  
Riddel tried to compose herself and explain her situation. "I am sorry! I do not know my ID! I am not from this place and I just want to know where I am!"  
  
"Then I will have to arrest you! Stand still!" The lady did as she was told and the supervising device shot out two rings tied to thin steel cables. The rings fastened themselves around the lady's tiny wrists. "You are being taken to our god in the Mother Building. Move it!" Riddel started walking in the direction the machine indicated, filled with both curiosity and dread.

Marching down the street, Riddel gazed to the dreary sky and thought about her fate. 'What is this god like? Will I be executed? Where are my friends?' On that last thought, her eyes widened and she spoke aloud. "What?! Guile? Is that you...?"  
  
In the sky, a translucent image of the aforementioned mage's face looked back at her. Through his mask, his violet eyes had a look of determination, concentration, and hope. His mouth quivered, begging to speak, but unable to. "Guile! Are you all right? What are you trying to tell me? What is this place?!" The image wavered and flickered and then faded away.  
  
"Who are you speaking to? Be quiet and walk! The Mother Building is ahead!" The supervisor barked, or beeped, rather, at the bewildered lady continued her march, now worried more than ever.  
  
Soon enough, the two came upon a monstrosity of a building. Taking up several blocks, it was very wide, and it stretched high into the atmosphere. Like the other buildings, it was also metallic, but this building exuded such an intimidating cold that Riddel broke into a sweat in apprehension. The machine floated in front of her. "This is the Mother Building. Before we enter, there are a few procedures I must brief you on first."  
  
Swallowing and nodding, the lady replied, "Alright."  
  
"First of all......Riddel! Wake up! Riddel!" The machine floated to her shoulder and started to shake it. "Please, wake up! Riddel!"  
  
With a start and a gasp, the lady sat up, breathing hard. She put a hand to her chest and steadied her nerves. "Are you okay, Riddel?" The lady in question looked up and saw the worried eyes of Norris, Leena, and Orlha. Norris took his hand off of her shoulder and reached for his canteen. "Here, you need to drink. It will calm you down. It was only a nightmare."  
  
"Thank you, Norris." She took a few sips and put the canteen down. "It wasn't only a nightmare. That could not have been it. It was a message—no, a warning."  
  
"A warning about what?" inquired Leena, who was kneeling to Riddel's left. She wiped the sweat from the lady's forehead with a cool cloth.  
  
"We must stop Atikon...at any cost. We just cannot allow him to win!" Riddel pleaded.

"Do not worry about that, Riddel. We WILL find Atikon and we WILL kill him. That is certain," Norris reassured her with confidence.  
  
"Help me stand, please?" Riddel held up her hand to Orlha, who took it and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you, Orlha."  
  
"Are you sure you are fit to walk?" Orlha worried.  
  
"Yes. We must continue. We cannot afford to lose anymore time." Riddel gathered her things and packed them up. "Is everyone ready?"  
  
"Wait just a minute. Let me contact the others and check up on them." Norris reached into his hip pouch and pulled out his walkie-talkie. He pressed a button and spoke, "Harle, can you hear me? Any luck so far?"  
  
"Non," was Harle's reply. "We have not found anyt'ing yet. We are in ze wooded area near ze totem we saw so long ago...How about you?"  
  
"Negative here, too. We are headed for the beaches. I will contact you as soon as we find something."  
  
By that time the sun hung directly overhead and the heat had reached its maximum. Finally, Team Alpha felt a refreshing cool breeze on their faces, signifying their closeness to the beach. For as far as the eye could see, there were beaches. Seemingly extending forever on both sides, the extensive sandy beach brought a welcome relief to the tropical shrubs and bugs they had been trekking through previously.  
  
Norris put his hand above his eyes to shield the bright sun and looked around him. "I don't think we will find anybody here, but we may find some clues."  
  
"Yeah, like some footprints. Let's search the ground carefully." Orlha added. She went ahead of the others onto the sand and the other girls followed her. Norris brought up the rear.  
  
"Hey! Look! Bunny rabbits!" Leena exclaimed, momentarily brought out of her gloom at the cute sight.  
  
"What are bunny rabbits doing here?" Orlha wondered. Sure enough, four black bunny rabbits were hopping around near them, sniffing the sand and the air.  
  
Norris watched them warily. His eyes followed one rabbit hopping towards Leena. "What?! What was that?" In the blink of an eye, the rabbit's shadow briefly grew much larger and shrank back down just as quickly. "No...This doesn't add up at all...Leena, everyone, get away from those rabbits!"  
  
Orlha looked at Norris with confusion. "Norris, they're just rabbits. What's the big deal?" The soldier approached the four rabbits and, with caution, reached out his hand to one of them. Again, in a flash, the shadow enlarged from a cute figure to a horrendous one . The others started doing the same, and more frequently, until the rabbits themselves changed. Instinctively, Norris drew his gun and fired at the nearest one, killing it instantly. On the ground now lay a dead Shadow Cat, a black beast with yellow glowing eyes and a yellow tipped head and tail. It was one of Lynx's minions. The other three rabbits were now Shadow Cats, and they prepared to pounce on Norris.  
  
Leena couldn't believe her eyes. Norris just shot a poor cute bunny rabbit! "Norris!! What is the matter with you?! Why did you just shoot that little bunny rabbit?!" Her eyes teared up at the blood soaked black rabbit on the red sand and she moved toward it.

"No!! Leena, do not come any closer!" Norris shoved the Arni girl back just as the cats pounced. They tore into his left leg, his right arm, and his stomach, sending bloody streams down his body. "Damn! They are all over me!" He kicked the one on his leg to the ground and punched the one latched onto his abdomen with his free arm. The Porre commander took his gun in his left hand and shot the one that injured his leg until it stopped moving.  
  
The three girls watched in horror as their team leader was shooting down the rabbits. "Norris! Snap out of it! Now is not the time to hunt!" Orlha pleaded.  
  
"They are harmless rabbits!" Lenna cried out.  
  
"Wait. Stop, Orlha, Leena. This isn't right...Norris is bleeding!" Riddel observed. Indeed, the girls saw blood dripping off the soldier onto the increasingly red colored sand. Suddenly, the rabbits flickered out of view and hideous black Shadow Cats took their place! "We have been fooled by an illusion. Hurry, we must help Norris!" The three girls raced towards their friend, who was still fighting the last cat.  
  
Norris punched with all his might at the cat clamped onto his waist until it fell to the ground, revealing Norris' stomach as a bloody mess. The commander sank to his knees and clutched his stomach with his left hand, his right hand reclaiming the gun. Slowly, he raised the gun, taking careful aim at the beast, which pounced at him again. When he pulled the trigger, a massive yellow ball charged up and flew at the cat, exploding upon impact in a yellow brilliance of light. The last of the Shadow Cats collapsed to the ground, dead. Norris imitated the move and completely fell down, as well.  
  
"Norris!!" The girls reached him too late. They were unable to assist their friend fight the demons.  
  
Riddel closed her eyes and executed a healing spell. A white light enveloped the commander, but it had no effect. The wounds continued to spill blood at an alarming rate. "Riddel...don't waste your elements. I am mortally wounded."  
  
"Oh, Norris! We're so sorry...We should have known." Leena kneeled down next to the fallen soldier and the others followed suit.  
  
"It was not your fault...the illusion blocked the truth from your eyes." Norris' vision was starting to fail, but he knew their heads were bowed in shame. "Hey...pick up your heads. Don't give up, soldiers! You have a mission...to get those bastards Atikon and Lynx...Don't let my death be in vain!"  
  
"Do not worry about that, Norris. We WILL find Atikon and we WILL kill him. That is certain." Riddel spoke the familiar lines.  
  
"We wouldn't dream of letting your death be in vain, Norris," sobbed Leena. "We will avenge you and everyone else who has died!"  
  
"Norris," Orlha began. "You are a true soldier and you fought a noble battle. It was an honor to fight by your side." She shook the dying man's hand.  
  
"Thank you...all...I know you will not let me down...I believe...in you..." Norris ended his last words and entered eternal rest.  
  
With the sun low in the magnificent red and purple sky and the ocean shimmering and glistening in the light, it was a beautiful sight. Three figures stood around a mound in the earth, silhouetted against the colorful light. Three arms were raised to their respective heads, with the hands straight and firm against the forehead. After a brief moment, the three figures walked away from the mound and away from the beach with their heads held high, continuing their great search.

**By: TenkoStar17**

* * *

Round 37 – Nikki (K), Grids: 4 and 12

Harle, Irenes, Nikki and Miki were looking around the marsh for any signs of Lynx or Atikon.  
  
"Look!" exclaimed Miki. "There are footsteps!"  
  
Harle looked at the ground closely. "Zey may be an illusion. Atikon iz not stupide."  
  
"Ya," said Irenes. "Dis may be a trap."  
  
"But ze footprints appear to be realite," said Harle. "Moi will contact ze others."  
  
Harle pulled out her walkie-talkie and punched a few buttons. "Orlha? Are vous there?"  
  
"This is Orlha speaking, Harle, did you find anything?"  
  
"Oui. There are footsteps on ze ground near ze marsh. Someone was here. Zis iz no illusion."  
  
"Riddel thinks someone was near the volcano," said Orlha. "There are no footsteps, as the rock is too hard, but someone was definitely here.  
  
"Interesting," said Harle. "Zey must be around here somewhere. I will contact you later."  
  
"Harle, I can't find Nikki!" yelled Miki. "Where are you Nikki?"

Help!" screamed a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. The voice belonged to Nikki.  
  
"Where are you Nikki?" yelled Miki, looking around the marsh.  
  
"Run towards my voice," said Nikki. "I can't come to you."  
  
Miki started to run in the direction of Nikki's voice.  
  
"Miki, no!" exclaimed Irenes, who pointed at something.  
  
"What is it Irenes? I don't see anything," Miki stated.  
  
"I see it too," said Harle. "Miki, look closely."  
  
Miki looked in the direction Nikki's voice had come from. She could see Nikki, well, at least the last little bit of him that wasn't covered by the quicksand.  
  
"Nikki!" Miki ran over to the edge of the quicksand  
  
"I love you...." Nikki said before the quicksand finally consumed him.  
  
Tears streamed down Miki's eyes. The man she loved was gone, and she couldn't even save him. "I love you too Nikki...." she said.  
  
Meanwhile, Orlha, Leena, and Riddel were still looking around the volcano.  
  
"We need more clues," said Orlha. "We must stop Lynx and Atikon."  
  
"I found something!" exclaimed Leena. "Come quick!" The other two ladies ran up to where Leena was searching. There, at the base of the volcano, was a hidden passage.  
  
"That's interesting," said Orlha. "I wonder if anything is in there..."

**By: Alanna82**


	11. A Villain Falls, Rounds 38 through 41

Lynx is found and dealt with finally. But Atikon still remains out there. And the repercussions of his influence reach everyone, as more deaths result. Will the adventurers find him before there is no one left to stop his madness?

* * *

Round 38 – Lynx (K), Grids: 1 and 12

The volcanic caldera seemed like even more a steaming, black pit close up. Riddel and Harle had experienced it before, but now, during the night of a new moon that was darker than any night had been before, it seemed alive, waiting to devour whatever foolish passerby coming close to its gaping holes.  
  
Leena shivered with anxiety. It was the perfect place for Lynx to hide, so why not look there? Orlha had taken over the team's leader duties, and she was now in contact with Harle. Harle was searching elsewhere, but it apparently had given her no leads, tracks, or anything to follow.  
  
Riddel put her hands on Leena's shoulders, as if to jar her back to reality.  
  
"Everything will be all right," the princess said. "We'll find the evil Atikon, and kill him. Then, Serge can come back." Riddel was trying to be reassuring, but both women knew the truth. Serge may not come back at all.  
  
Orlha took point with Riddel in the center and Leena in the rear. All three women crept along paths where the sulfurous caverns oozed magma and smelled of rotten eggs and dead fish. Riddel nearly gagged, but then Orlha said to be silent. She heard something up ahead. Gripping Norris's rifle, she found it difficult to line up a shot. It was bigger than she was accustomed too, plus the wound she sustained from Fargo started acting up. She tentatively stepped forward, Riddel casting a spell to help Orlha see better. Leena, the most nervous out of the three, yet still calm, took aim with the smaller firearm Norris had issued for the deer hunt.  
  
Another movement caught Orlha's eyes, from off to the left. In the darkness, she briefly saw a flash of black. Not s-adow black, but jet black. Lynx!  
  
"Here, radio for help!" Orlha passed the walkie-talkie to Riddel, who called Harle frantically, providing the coordinates. Harle mentioned underground passages linked her area to the volcano, and she was on her way.  
  
Orlha took point again, the bolt-action rifle and its high-powered scope seemingly glued to her eyes, with the sight of an eagle thanks to Riddel's spell. She kept on moving, taking quick yet careful steps to keep her eyes ahead.  
  
"Be careful," Leena said. Orlha nodded, and heard the noise again. Was he going to lead them into a trap?  
  
"Ahead!" Riddel cried. Orlha quickly turned forward. There! She had a clean shot, as Lynx was making a move. Maybe it was an illusion, but she didn't care  
  
"For Norris!" she shouted as a war cry. BANG! She fired. The recoil of the rifle was a lot more than she'd anticipated, and she was knocked on her butt. Lynx, however, looked to be in much worse shape than her. He had taken the bullet in the chest, and although Orlha hit no major organs, the fight was knocked out of him.

From the other side, Harle's group came in and surveyed. Lynx had coughed up black blood, and did not look like he was going anywhere. Leena wanted to ask him about Serge, but she doubted that he would listen or answer. Harle went up to him, grabbed him by the collar, and punched him in the face.  
  
"Zis is for all ze people vous killed!" she shouted.  
  
"Idiots!" Lynx's voice, although he had looked weak, was strong as ever. "You think you've killed me, but I'm already dead! I am more powerful than you could possibly comprehend."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Orlha said, slugging Lynx and knocking him backward into a magma flow. The girls averted their gaze as Lynx's body charred, putrefied, and melted into a sick and disgusting goo.  
  
"So, it's done," Orlha said. She was the first to look at the lava flow.  
  
"And it needed to be done. We could not allow Lynx to destroy us all," Miki added.  
  
"Serge..." Leena started. Everyone looked at her. She was right. Lynx may have been dead, but Atikon was still out there.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll bring him down, by force if we have to," Orlha said. She took a flower out of her hair. She smelled it, and held it over the lava pit.  
  
"And now, with much sorrow, I embrace my fortune. Norris, I have given thee what you deserve. Thy murderer walks no more. My only regret is that you could not share this moment with me. Let the Dragon Gods bless his name." She threw the flower into the lava pit.  
  
"Let's go," Orlha said to Miki and Leena. "This place reeks of too much death."

**By: Matt620**

* * *

Round 39 – Irenes (K), Grids: 2 and 6

Harle, Miki and Irenes entered the area with the waterfall.  
  
"Be careful," said Harle. "We do not want to find anot'er illuzion."  
  
"Don't worry. We'll be careful," said Miki.  
  
"Irenes, you check ze water for signs of Atikon," Harle commanded.  
  
"Ya." Irenes nodded and jumped into the river to search for the source of most of the group's woes.  
  
"Look at the cute fish," said Miki. "They're pretty."  
  
"Miki, we are not 'ere to look at ze fishies. We are 'ere to find Atikon. I don't t'ink he waz 'ere though," said Harle.  
  
"I wonder if Orlha found any clues?" Miki pondered  
  
"I will contact 'er." Harle got out her walkie-talkie. "Paging miz Orlha? Are vous zere?"  
  
"Yes, I'm here. Did you find anything?"  
  
"Non, I am afraid zere waz not'ing 'ere."  
  
"Nothing here either," said Orlha. "Leena almost fell into a hole, but Riddel saved her. You should watch out for traps. There are plenty of them in the ruins, and I am sure they are all over this island."  
  
"We will," said Harle.  
  
"De fish!" exclaimed Irenes. "Dey are attacking me!"  
  
"Irenes, the fish are too little to be attacking you. It is just an illusion," said Miki  
  
Irenes slammed the fish with her tail. But they kept on attacking her. "Help me, Miki!" she cried.  
  
But Miki wasn't listening, as she didn't realize that the cute fish were really vicious piranhas. Harle was too busy arguing with Orlha over how they were going to catch Atikon.

A piranha bit Irenes on her neck. A big gush of blood squirted out. Irenes called for help again. But the words wouldn't come. The wound had affected her ability to speak.  
  
Harle finally stopped talking to Orlha and turned around. "Oh no! Miki, you idiote! Vous should be 'elping Irenes, not watching ze fishies!"  
  
"What? Irenes is just playing with them," said Miki.  
  
"Non, vous idiote! Ze fish are attacking 'er!" Harle ran over to the water and threw her darts at the fish.  
  
Irenes was still fighting, even though she had been bitten several times and was bleeding heavily from most of her wounds. Miki took one look at Irenes, and realized that Harle was right. The fish were attacking Irenes.  
  
"Take that!" Miki spun around and smacked the nearest fish with her hair. Realizing they were fighting a losing battle, the piranhas fled.  
  
"I'm sorry Irenes," said Miki, as she tried to heal Irenes' wounds.  
  
"Ze wounds are too deep. Zere is no way we can save 'er," Harle said, as she held Irenes in her arms.  
  
"Irenes, say hi to Nikki for me," Miki said, sadly.  
  
Irenes gave a faint nod and took her last breath.  
  
"We will bury her at sea, "said Harle. "She would 'ave wanted it zat way. Atikon will pay for zis!"

**By: Alanna82**

* * *

Round 40 – Miki (K), Grids: 5 and 10 

It was hard to go to the lake with Irenes' death so recent. However, that did not deter Miki and Harle from their searching. Looking all around the area had proved fruitless, though.  
  
"Mademoiselle Orlha, it'z Harle. Did vous find anyzing?" Harle asked in the walkie-talkie.  
  
"Negative," Orlha responded. "This area is clean. Atikon hasn't been here." She sounded upset, but still optimistic.  
  
"I'm zure we vill find 'im, mademoiselle," Harle said. "Zen ze dead can rest in peace." Orlha thanked Harle and then hung up the radio.  
  
"Eugh, I'm a mess," Miki complained.  
  
"Zis iz not ze time for ze frivolities, mademoiselle Miki. We must search for Atikon."  
  
"I know, I just want to wash my face. I'll only be a minute."  
  
"Very vell, be careful," Harle said. Miki went to the lake and started scrubbing her face. There weren't any piranhas or anything in the water, so Miki started washing her skin, glad to feel something cool on it. She had been trekking around for a while, and although the exercise was wonderful for her figure, it wasn't good for her skin.  
  
"God, my skin feels like tree bark," Miki complained. But then she remembered what Nikki had said.  
  
"He said he loved me, and I'm going to do this for him. That bastard Atikon tricked him, and now he won't get away with it."  
  
"Atikon killed who now?" a voice sounded from behind her. Miki turned around, and found Nikki towering above her.  
  
"Nikki!" Miki shouted.  
  
"Hey, hey, don't get all like that. I'm all right, you're all right, and that's all that matters," he said with a smile. His make-up had been running a little thin, but that was probably due to the quicksand.  
  
"Nikki, how did you...?"  
  
"Remember the underground passages? The quicksand dumped me out there," Nikki responded, still hugging Miki closely.  
  
"I don't understand, but I don't care. We've got a lot to tell you. We got Lynx!"  
  
"You did?" Nikki asked, surprised. "Wow."  
  
"Well, Orlha killed him," Miki responded.  
  
"But he's gone just the same. That's wonderful to hear," Nikki said as he smiled.  
  
With Nikki hugging Miki close, she couldn't see his smile twisting into an evil grin, nor could she see the knife that he held in his other hand.  
  
"Heh," he said, then stabbed her in the back. She yelped out, attracting the attention of Harle.  
  
"You're...Atikon!" she shouted. The stab wound was not immediately fatal, but it was terminal. She wouldn't live for very long.  
  
"No, Atikon's voice sounded as the illusion disappeared. The creature before her was not Atikon. It appeared to be a bipedal lizard creature, with green scales and long claws, which explained the stab wounds. Harle had mentioned something about Atikon and the possibility he could mindlink with lesser creatures. This was the result.  
  
"You...bastard..." Miki whispered.

"And you fell for it. Must be good huh, man. Acting that sappy was making me gag. I think I'll throw up after this is done," he sneered, not really listening to the dying woman's curses. Then he heard someone coming.  
  
"Crap," Atikon said, before breaking his link with the creature. He didn't have to risk anything anymore. Miki was dying and that was good enough.  
  
"Miki!" Harle shouted. She had radioed for Orlha and they were almost there. The dancer girl had a knife wound in her back, and she didn't appear like she'd live for much longer. The culprit was a large bipedal lizard that lived in the jungles around the island, and Harle quickly threw a knife at it, embedding the small blade in the lizard's throat. It died immediately, unable to do anything else to the dancer's prone body.  
  
"It was...Atikon," Miki said. "He...had that thing disguise...itself as Nikki. I...can't believe I let him...get me."  
  
"Don't blame yourself," Harle said. Miki smiled, and then her eyes shut.  
  
"We're...too late," Orlha said as the group came up.  
  
"Zere was, nozing we could do," Harle said, burying Miki far enough away from the water so fish would not probe her body. "At least, in ze last moments, she zaw Nikki, even if it only was an illusion," Harle said sadly. She looked at the other girls and couldn't help but feel a little jealous.  
  
All of them had a brief period in which they had a moment to share their happiness with a man important to them. Orlha had Norris, her fallen soldier. Riddel had Karsh, her dead lover's best friend. Leena had Serge, her childhood friend. Even if he was Atikon now, Serge was out there still.  
  
"Harle, why are you staring at us?" Riddel asked. Harle didn't realize she was lost in her own thoughts.  
  
"It'z not'ing," Harle responded.  
  
"Well," Riddel said. "I will go with you now. We do not want anyone searching alone."  
  
"Yes," Harle said. "Let'z keep moving. Again it feels as if zere is...too much death here."

**By: Matt620**

* * *

Round 41 – Orlha (K), Grids: 3 and 8

"Harle? Where did you go?" Riddel was wandering through the forest searching for her lost partner. "This is not good. Harle! Where are you? Wait, what is that?" Through the leaves of the treetops, Riddel could see a thin trail of smoke rising into the clouds. She picked up her pace and pushed back the last of the bushes that blocked her progress. At last, she emerged from the forest and into..."Someone's backyard? That smoke was from the chimney on this house! This is a town! Wow, I didn't know there were other people living on this island."  
  
Riddel walked around the house while avoiding the flowerbeds and stepped onto the street. The town appeared quiet and peaceful. Along both sides of the street were friendly cottages lined up in rows, with plenty of breathing room between them. Most of the houses had small vegetable gardens behind and delightfully aromatic flower gardens in front. A few houses even had playground equipment in their backyards. While all of the houses were unique, the majority were two stories with pointy roofs.  
  
As Riddel came upon an intersection, she noticed a building much larger than the surrounding houses, as it was three stories tall and covered a great area. The building had many windows, double doors at the entrance, and an immense playground behind. Suddenly, a bell rang and children poured from the back doors. These children were dressed in bright clothes suitable for the warm weather and they all sported a backpack. Riddel watched as the children ran, jumped, skipped, and laughed with each other.  
  
"Excuse me, miss? Are you lost? Do you need any assistance?" Riddel turned her head away from the blissful sight and faced a man wearing a navy blue outfit and a matching hat: a local police officer.  
  
"I am new to this town and I am looking for a friend. She is dressed as a jester with red pointed shoes and baggy pants. Have you seen her?" Riddel inquired.  
  
"I'm sorry, miss. I haven't seen any jesters around here," the officer answered with a laugh. "But if she is here, she is most likely at the town hall. I'll escort you," he offered.  
  
The Lady of Viper Manor nodded and followed the kind officer. The pair turned a corner and Riddel gasped. In the sky was a translucent image of Guile! Once again, his eyes gazed down at Riddel with concentration, determination, and hope. His eyes then rose above Riddel's head and into the sky behind her. "Guile! What is it? Please, tell me! Maybe I can help you! I want to!" Riddel pleaded to the image of the mage. His eyes, now glistening with unshed tears, went back down and looked into Riddel's as he shook his head. Again, he raised his eyes and stared behind the lady. Riddel did as Guile hinted and turned around, and her eyes followed a bright rainbow arcing upward as she turned. At the height of the rainbow was a slightly more solid image of a blond girl with a bright smile and warm eyes. "Kid?! Is that you? What is it you are trying to tell me?" The image looked at her with loving eyes from behind the colorful rainbow. Riddel looked around her and nodded with understanding. "Ah, yes. I understand, Kid. We will make sure it happens. Thank you!"  
  
The officer, completely puzzled at the lady's conversation with the sky, tapped her on the shoulder, "Are you alright, miss?"  
  
Riddel bowed to the officer. "Oh, I am sorry, sir. I was...thinking."  
  
The officer was relieved. "Alright." Then he started to gently shake the lady's shoulder and grew a French accent. "Wake up, mademoiselle Riddel! Wake up!"

Riddel's eyes fluttered open and saw the unfocused face of Harle peering down at her. After she rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes, she sat up and took in the surroundings. They were in a dense tropical forest and in the same spot they had settled down on last night. Riddel didn't go anywhere and she hadn't lost Harle; it was a dream...again. "Good morning, Harle!" Riddel cheerfully greeted.  
  
"Iz closer to afternoon, mademoiselle Riddel. Vous decided to sleep late," Harle replied, a bit annoyed.  
  
"No, I overslept?! I apologize, Harle. Let us make haste and begin the search." The two gathered their things, had a light meal, and set off.  
  
Meanwhile, in another part of the island...  
  
Orlha and Leena waded through the tropical undergrowth, sifting through the waist-high plants for any clues, or Atikon himself. The day started promising with the discovery of footprints in the moist soil, but their hopes of finding Atikon in the area dwindled as the day wore on.  
  
The two girls paused for a break and took some sips from their canteens. "I really wish I brought long pants with me to this island," commented Orlha as she looked at the scrapes and scratches on her legs.  
  
Leena ran her hand over her purple dress and sighed, "My dress doesn't help much against these plants. The bottom has turned into rags! Hey, what's that sound?" The girls listened carefully and heard a "Hiss!"  
  
"No! We are surrounded! Get out your weapon!" Orlha gulped. Like the Guldovian said, on all sides and closing fast were no less than a dozen Shadow Cats.  
  
Leena took out her pan and complained, "These are Lynx's Shadow Cats! Lynx is dead, so what are they doing here?!"  
  
"Atikon must have 'adopted' them," Orlha presumed as she put up her fists. "But don't worry about that! Just worry about surviving!"

"Right," Leena agreed. The demons crept closer and stopped about twenty feet from the girls. Back to back, the two girls stared down the demons as the two parties sized each other up. At last, the cats pounced at lightning speed and the battle began. With a dozen cats jumping at them, it was impossible for them to dodge every single one, especially in those surroundings. Leena whacked away several that attempted to strike her, but two managed to bite her, one on each arm. Orlha didn't have a large weapon to shield herself, but she valiantly punched any cat that came her way. She was also hit, unfortunately: one on each leg and one on her right arm. Orlha kicked two of the cats back and punched the other until it fell to the ground. She put her good left arm around the shoulders of Leena, who had just knocked back the cats who had bitten her arms.  
  
"Leena! We cannot stay here and fight a losing battle; we have to run!" Orlha advised breathlessly. Leena nodded and the two ran from the crowd of Shadow Cats as quickly as the brush would allow. Orlha ignored the stabbing pain in her legs until the adrenaline numbed it and she glanced over her shoulder. The cats were advancing on them and would be on top of them in a few seconds. Her legs were rapidly losing all feeling, not from adrenaline anymore, but from blood loss. When her feet started to stumble on the roots, she made a split second decision. "Leena, take this and don't stop running! Keep going and don't stop no matter what!" She forced her walkie-talkie and Norris' gun into Leena's hands.  
  
Leena looked back and cried out, "Orlha..." The barkeep had stopped running and was swarmed by the demons. Leena looked into the Orlha's eyes and stopped her protest. Orlha's mind would not be changed. She shouted as she continued to run, "Orlha! I will never forget this! Thank you for all you have done! You know that we will--"  
  
"Yes, I know you'll avenge me!" Orlha interrupted as she desperately tried shaking off some of the cats. "Kill the bastard and free Serge! Now go!" Leena took one last look and focused her attention on running as fast as she could. "I hope...I bought enough time..." coughed Orlha as she fell to the ground.  
  
Leena stopped once she could no longer move. None of the cats followed her. Leaning against a short tree, she caught her breath somewhat and took out the walkie-talkie. "H-Harle? Are you there?"  
  
"Oui. What iz it, mademoiselle Leena? Did you find 'im? We found not'ing 'ere," was the reply.  
  
"No, just footprints. O-Orlha...She...She was one of the best friends I ever had..." Leena found herself unable to say the words.  
  
"...Mademoiselle Leena, I know. She waz a very good friend..." Harle knowingly responded. "Stay where you are and we will find you. It iz important now more than ever zat we stay toget'er."  
  
"Okay. I-I will," Leena hung up and sank down into a sitting position, with her knees to her chin. "Serge, I will find a way to bring you back...I swear it. I will find a way..."

**By: TenkoStar17**


	12. The Champion is Crowned, Rounds 42 throu...

A winner is crowned, and the true journey becomes ever more clear. Sometimes it's not the size of the person who is entering the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in the person. The bulk of the plot is finally revealed as well, but more mysteries await as all the pieces fit into each other. There is more danger ahead after this installment, as our heroes must deal with the danger that threatens humanity and the very fabric of reality itself.

* * *

Round 42 – Riddel (K), Grid: 2

Exhausted and in a general foul mood, the three women gathered their belongings from the previous night. So much had happened in the past week, that the constant exertion and death was beginning to take its toll. Only having a general idea of where the warped version of Serge may be, the trio finally decided to head back over to the waterfall. The underground caves in this area had been previously explored, but this time they wanted to give the top section of the water cascade a try.  
  
The three walked in silence. Each had something on their minds. Neither knew what the other was thinking nor did they wish to intrude on each other's private thoughts. Finally, Riddel was the first to speak up.  
  
"I have been having these weird thoughts lately," the princess spoke. "I often find myself wondering if any of this is for real or not."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Leena.  
  
"I am not entirely sure," Riddel answered. "But my dreams have been disturbing as of late. I see Guile in them."  
  
"Non, do not be sorry for what vous 'ave done," Harle consoled her. "It was ze only way to free 'is mind."  
  
"It is not that," expanded the Lady of Viper Manor. "In a way I think Guile was happy for us to break the evil influence held over him. But at the same time I do not believe he was finished telling us everything he wanted to say."  
  
"What are zees dreams vous are 'aving?" questioned Harle.  
  
"Well, it has only been two thus far," said Riddel. "Yet there were so different in nature that it was startling."  
  
"What did you see?" wondered Leena.  
  
"The first one was a few days ago," replied the princess. "I saw a ghastly image of a place not our own and at the same time, it still felt like I should be familiar with it. There were all these mechanical drones everywhere and people were starved and had no zest for life. They all seemed to be serving this head machine. I did not much care for what I saw. I just know Guile meant the image to serve as a warning."  
  
"A warning for what?" mused Leena.  
  
"I do not know," answered Riddel. "Let me tell you the second dream, though. This one was the polar opposite of the previous vision. Everyone was happy and there was laughter in their eyes. There were a few things I did not understand, but the inconsistencies seemed to fit in well with this place regardless. Then, Guile appeared and beckoned me to turn around. I saw the most magnificent rainbow arcing across the sky. It shone with all colors of the world and seemed to be in complete harmony. What was behind the rainbow really shocked me, though. Kid was there and she was looking down upon all that took place! Feelings of love and peace were washing over everything."  
  
"Kid?!" asked a shocked Harle. "But iz mademoiselle Kid not deceased?"  
  
"Yeah and Guile is dead too," added Leena.  
  
"I cannot explain it," conceded Riddel. "As crazy as it may sound, I believe these two visions to be two sides of the same coin. Just like our dimension originally separated itself from Serge's before we united the two, I feel this is the case in my dreams. There appears to be one event that we must prevent if we wish the more peaceful dimension to come to pass and the bleak one to fail in its fruition. I do not know what it is we must do, though. All that seems clear to me is that it involves Kid, or at least some other version of her."  
  
"But can we trust Guile? Wasn't he the cause of all this?" reasoned Leena.

"Monsieur Guile was not in 'is right mind, zen," revealed Harle. "Maybe zis iz 'is way of making it up to us. Giving us a warning zat crosses all space and time."  
  
"I just wish I understood all the complexities of what he tried to convey," said Riddel.  
  
"Vous can t'ink of zat later," Harle stated. "We are here."  
  
The three women gazed at the mesmerizing flow of water. The river started in the high snowy areas of the dormant volcano and traveled a good distance. A few tributaries fed into other areas of the island before the thundering rapids finally fell in a huge cascade over the cliffs. The ladies then spread out to maximize their search area.  
  
"Just call if vous need 'elp," said Harle, before she teleported to look over the other side of the stream.  
  
"I shall cover the area by the cliffs," Riddel told Leena, as she began to hover off. "You should start here. Just make sure to be thorough in your search."  
  
"Sure," piped Leena, as she began peering at the ground in intense concentration.  
  
'I will scan my part magically to save time,' thought Riddel. 'This way I will have more time to sort out my thoughts. The more I can piece Guile's message together, the better off we will all be.'  
  
Leena was trying her best not to let her thoughts wander, but eventually she found herself walking down a different mental corridor. 'I just don't know how we're going to help Serge,' she sighed to herself. 'Even if we do find him, his Atikon side seems to be completely in control. Nothing we do seems to make a difference. I was able to crack through his psyche once. I just hope I can do it again.' Suddenly a voice startled Leena out of her daydream.  
  
"Leena," it called out. The village girl looked around before finally settling on the source.  
  
"Serge!" she said, shocked. "How did you get here?"  
  
"I don't have much time," he said. "You need to help me! He's coming back..." Another form then crashed into Serge.  
  
"You are coming back with me!" boomed Atikon.  
  
"No!" cried Serge. "He's trying to reabsorb me. Help me, Leena! While he's distracted!"  
  
"What should I do?!" she asked, her heart fluttering.  
  
"There are rocks at the bottom of this waterfall. Quick, knock him down!" Serge yelped, still struggling with his evil self.  
  
"I'm coming, Serge!" Leena yelled out. "Whatever you do, keep fighting!"  
  
'This is still troubling me,' mused Riddel, as she glided around her area. 'The rainbow and the machines...what is the connection? They have no more in common with one another than this ocean has with space or the rocks with the trees...' Suddenly a revelation hit Riddel.  
  
'They are all one and the same!' she thought, everything making sense to her. 'The healing melody is the only way to truly stop Atikon. We must play it to stop a fate worse than death from transpiring! This is what we must wish for at the tournament close! I need to tell Harle and...'

"You'll pay for everything you've done, you bastard!" Leena screamed, as she interrupted Riddel's thoughts. She slammed into the princess with all of her might, bringing both to the ground. Riddel had been caught unawares and was now fighting for her very life.  
  
"Leena, it's me!" Riddel shouted. "Snap out of it!"  
  
"I'll snap your neck, alright!" Leena said, still fighting wildly. Riddel tried to break the village girl's hold, but it was no use. Despite appearances, Leena was fighting with an indomitable inner strength. The last thought the princess had was, 'I need to tell them' before Leena knocked Riddel's head onto a rock, causing her to lose consciousness. Leena did not stop there, though, as she picked up the limp body of her adversary and threw it over the falls. She then turned back to Serge.  
  
"I finally beat him! Together we can do anything!" Leena said, joy in her voice.  
  
"Leena, you are truly something else," Serge replied. "I couldn't have done it without you." He then gave her a loving embrace.  
  
"Oh, Serge, I wish it could be like this forever," she sighed in his arms.  
  
"Well, it could be," he replied. "But you'll have to keep help me kill Harle like you did to Riddel, first."  
  
"I-I-I don't understand," Leena stammered, shocked at what she had just heard Serge say. She then slowly backed away.  
  
"When I said I couldn't have done it without you, I was being serious," laughed Atikon, as his hair slowly took on its familiar red shade and his eyes burned with their own fire. "You helped me get rid of another person who knew how to stop me. Kudos to you."  
  
"Harle!" Leena called out, terrified. "I need your help here!"  
  
"You can't save her, you know," said Atikon. "And it's getting so close to our dance."  
  
"When will you end this?" pleaded Leena.  
  
"It ends when I say it does," roared Atikon, as his illusory self then began to fade away. "Keep looking, for all the good it will do you. The only place I want to watch you squirm is where this all began. Ta-ta, toots!" The doppelganger then vanished into the air.  
  
"What iz it, mademoiselle Leena?" Harle asked, as she appeared next to the shaken girl. "Where iz mademoiselle Riddel?"  
  
"She...I...it was an illusion," Leena sputtered, her eyes filled with tears.  
  
"Say no more," Harle said, not wanting to press the girl any harder. "Just point to where she iz." Leena then pointed her hand at the base of the waterfall. Not saying another word, the jester vanished to the bottom of the water cascade.  
  
It took her a second to get her bearings, but Harle soon became familiar with this layout. Her eyes scanned the water for anything unusual. They settled on a pool of red forming outside the mountain of water. She quickly rushed over, only to find the mage impaled upon numerous jagged rocks sticking out of the water. Riddel was shivering and her skin was as white as chalk.  
  
"It was...not...fault..." Riddel began.  
  
Harle shushed her. "I know. Do not struggle, mademoiselle. Zere iz too much pain."  
  
"But...I..." Riddel continued, desperately trying to relay what she had discovered.  
  
"What iz it?"  
  
"To stop...him...prevent...machine..."  
  
"Pleeze, continue."  
  
"...wish for...cross..." Riddel finally said, as her eyes glazed over and saw no more. Harle lifted the corpse off the rocks and then teleported back to the top of the waterfall. Leena and her said nothing as they dug a shallow hole. When it was big enough off to suit their needs, they lowered the princess into the ground. After both stared at the grave in silence for a few minutes, Leena finally spoke up.

"Harle?" she said.  
  
"Yes, mademoiselle Leena," the jester replied.  
  
"If it ever comes down between my life and freeing Serge, which would you pick?"  
  
"I do not know ze answer to zat."  
  
"That's what I thought you would say," said Leena, tears still streaming down her face. "I just hope that when the time comes, you'll make the right decision." The two then hurried off to another part of the island.

**By: Daredevil3181**

* * *

Round 43 – Atikon (K), Grid: 6

The jester and the village girl from Arni were preparing themselves for a highly anticipated confrontation with Serge's negativity. Both had fully stocked their elemental stores and made sure their weapons of choice were in tip-top shape. Finally, when neither could do anymore, they knew it was time to leave.  
  
"Do you really think Atikon will be there?" Leena asked.  
  
"Zat iz what 'e said 'imself," replied Harle. "I t'ink 'is confidence 'as gotten ze best of 'im. Zere is no doubt in my mind 'e will be zere."  
  
"If he is in the ruins, what will we do? Will fighting him bring back the real Serge?"  
  
"I do not know ze answer to zat. Even if it does not, we ztill need to beat 'im. Riddel made zat perfectly clear before 'er death."  
  
Leena and Harle then hurried off to the one part of this island that was colonized at one time. This was the area they first saw the totem when they arrived on Perfidia. Here was where it all began and here is where it would end. Suddenly, Harle spotted a lone figure standing against the setting sun.  
  
"Look zere," the harlequin said, as she pointed toward what she saw.  
  
Atikon was there in all his glory. His chest was puffed out in a haughty display of pride. Between his hands he held the swallow that had served him for so long. The blue bandanna he wore over his mop of crimson hair was only loosely tied on. In his eyes there was nothing but hatred and doom.  
  
"I see you've come at last," Atikon bellowed. "It's about time. I was beginning to think you'd be too dense to understand my clue. Good thing you proved me wrong."  
  
"Come out and show yourself, trickster! No more illusions!" shouted Leena.  
  
"Although I can't guarantee I won't use my powers of perception very soon, I can assure you that right now I'm very real," Atikon responded. "This is me in the flesh. I'm the one you want. Whether or not you can get me, though, remains to be seen."  
  
"We are toug'er zen we look!" warned Harle.  
  
"Believe me, I'm not underestimating you," Atikon said. "It's just that I know I'm better. So, shall we start this little battle of epic proportions? Good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Whatever you want to classify it as, it's going to happen." The duplicate readied himself with his swallow out in front of him. "Ladies first."  
  
"Zis iz it, mademoiselle Leena," Harle whispered. "Do not 'old anyt'ing back. And remember, if vous see an opening...take it."  
  
Leena nodded in understanding. "Let's do this. Anything to get Serge back."  
  
"Well, 'ere we go," Harle said, as she vanished into the air. She rematerialized behind Atikon and threw one of her darts at the double. But he was not surprised. He brought his swallow around like a bat and hit the projectile back at the jester. She dodged it easily.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that to get me," he laughed. He then glowed red and aimed his swallow at the jester. "I have a few projectiles of my own, you know. Here, try these on for size!"  
  
Dozens of miniature swallows materialized from behind Atikon. With a flick of his wrist, they ripped into Harle. A plethora of miniature cuts appeared across her body. For the most part, though, she appeared unfazed.  
  
"Zat iz a move from mademoiselle Kid!" Harle exclaimed. "But 'ow did vous...?"  
  
"I told you I'm stronger than you'll ever be," interrupted Atikon. "For every person that has departed this island, I grow stronger. I gain their abilities and can then use them on you!" The boy who used to be Serge glanced over at the village maiden. "Is she going to do anything other than just stand there?"  
  
"Leena, come and 'elp moi out!" Harle shouted, trying to bring her ally into the fray. The jester then rushed at Atikon.  
  
"I think it's time you cooled off!" Atikon shouted. He glowed blue and strummed some notes on his weapon, playing it like guitar. The resulting sound froze Harle in her tracks, as she was now encased in a block of ice, a shocked expression etched on her face.

'This is getting serious,' Leena thought. 'I can't afford to stay back and let Harle lose! Time to prove my worth.' The villager accessed her elements to find the one she needed. A pillar of fire materialized underneath Harle, effectively thawing the jester out.  
  
"Hey, teamwork," Atikon said. "Not a bad idea...provided both of you are alive to pull it off!" Atikon held his open palm in front of him and gathered blue energy in his hand. Glaring at Leena, he ran right at her. Just before he hit her, though, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.  
  
"Guess vous are not ze true 'ero," laughed Harle. The jester then cast one of her yellow elements as a huge bolt of electricity arced out from her fingers and slammed into the doppelganger. Atikon was thrown a few yards back from the force and clenched his teeth as he waited for the tingling to pass.  
  
"That hurt me," Atikon fumed. "You'll pay for that one, you !" He shone with a red light and appeared to have something caught in his throat. Atikon coughed out a small fireball. Spinning his swallow around, he quickly fanned it to a larger size before blazing Harle and the field around her. Blistered and in pain, the jester fell back.  
  
Not missing a beat, Leena glowed white and threw a healing light over Harle. It came in contact with the harlequin and the blisters and burns immediately subsided. In fighting condition once again, the two ladies closed in on Atikon.  
  
"I don't think so!" the double growled. "You're going down!" He leapt into the air and hovered for a little as his hair began to turn black. The energy grew in intensity before he ripped off his bandana and swung his head around, releasing a gigantic laser. The attack knocked Harle and Leena back, as Atikon then dived straight down at the battered jester.  
  
"No!" called out Leena, as she shook with the force of gravity. She hurled her element at Atikon and her aim was dead-on. Entrapped in the magical energy, the duplicate could do nothing but brace for impact as the ground rushed up to meet him. He slammed into a stone slab with bone-crushing force, crashing right through. Adding insult to injury, Harle complemented the maiden's attack with her own gravitational force, drawing Atikon down even further to the ground as he made an indentation into the earth.  
  
"Ugh," Atikon said, as he struggled to his feet. He was bleeding from a huge gash in his head and his shoulder appeared separated, as his arm hung limply at his side. "You two are something else. And I can't very well fight like this, so..."  
  
The doppelganger's hand emanated a green light as a vine shot out from it and latched itself onto Leena. Screaming, she could not untangle herself from it. She then watched in horror as she felt her own energy being leeched away and flowing into Atikon. His shoulder moved back into its socket and the wound on his head closed up before he finally retracted the vine back to where it came. Drained, Leena slumped to the ground.  
  
"MMMmmm...much better," said Atikon, as he licked his lips. "Let's see what else I have in my repertoire..." He glowed blue and then started to stumble toward Harle.  
  
"Vous are drunk wit' power, monsieur," Harle seethed, as the duplicate lumbered over toward the jester. She readied a dart to place between his eyes and put an end to his terror. When she looked around for Atikon though, he was nowhere to be seen. "Where...?"

"Psyke!" Atikon laughed, as he brought his fist home across Harle's face. The harlequin rolled with the impact, but the blow had still rattled her very hard. Her mouth began to fill up with some liquid and as she spit it out she noticed that it was bright red. She stared at her own blood for a second before she realized what it was.  
  
"Vous..." Harle began, as she looked right into the twisted smile of the double. His swallow was beginning to glow with a condensed yellow energy. Before she could dodge out of the way, Atikon let his shot fly, catching the jester squarely in the chest. Her lungs and abdomen burning with pain, she slumped to the ground.  
  
"You go boom!" Atikon laughed.  
  
Leena had regained sufficient strength just then and pushed herself to her feet. She took one quick look at how the battle was faring and was not happy with what she saw. A healing blue aura surrounded her and Harle.  
  
"Awwww...just when I was about to win, you go and do something like heal," Atikon sneered. "Tsk, tsk. Guess I'll just have to knock you down harder this time."  
  
"You're so cocky, but you haven't proven anything!" Leena retorted. "Serge is better than you and always will be!"  
  
"Is that so?" asked Atikon. "I almost had you on the business end of my swallow once. I assure you I won't make that mistake twice." The doppelganger grasped the power inside of him and then split into four identical images. "Guess which one is the real deal." With a mocking grin, Atikon charged at Leena.  
  
Harle fired a dart at one of the images, causing it to vanish upon contact.  
  
"Wrong one," Atikon said. He continued to advance toward Leena.  
  
In quick succession, the village girl cast three blue elements, one on each clone.  
  
"That was a big waste of magic," the double said. He was now growing ever closer.  
  
Harle threw another dart at an illusory form, reducing the images down to two.  
  
"Didn't I already knock you out?" Atikon sighed. Both copies brought their swallows out in front of them and let a black blob appear in front of them. When they deemed its size sufficient, they sent it hurtling at the jester. The two blobs then combined in midair and formed one gigantic life form, landing on top of Harle's head. Unable to breath, the harlequin fought to free herself from this scientific monstrosity.  
  
Desperate, Leena ran up to one of the Atikons and slapped him hard with her hand. There was nothing there but air, though, as the real Atikon was finally revealed. He had a murderous gleam in his eyes as he advanced upon the village girl.  
  
"You're no match for me," he breathed.  
  
"That may be true," Leena responded. "But try and dodge this!" She then brought her oversized frying pan around and aimed for the double's head.  
  
'This should be easy to maneuver around,' Atikon thought. But try as he might, his evasion reflexes just weren't up to the task. 'What the...?' he wondered, as the frying pain took him right under his chin. The world began to spin as Atikon sailed through the air before crashing in a heap.  
  
"Time to finish 'im," said Harle, as she had managed to free herself from the strangling blob.

"Just get it over with," said Leena, tears in her eyes. "It's for the best." She suffused Harle with a blue glow then, causing the jester to feel full of vigor and life.  
  
"I'm going to..." Atikon started, before he was interrupted by a swift kick to his midsection. Harle followed that up with an elbow to his chest. Calling on the power of the moon, the jester blasted Atikon with a dark beam, and appeared quite satisfied as the duplicate collapsed onto the ground.  
  
"Do vous give up?" Harle asked.  
  
"Not before I play out my last trick," Atikon whispered. A white glow surrounded him as Harle heard him praying to something. "Guardian eidolon, come to my aid..."  
  
The ground began to shake as a giant mechanized form erupted from beneath Harle and Leena. It had circuits all over it, which were continually pulsing with life. Two giant hands were clenched at its side as its mouth was forever opened in a silent scream. Fear came over the two women as it began to dawn on them what Atikon's protective source actually was.  
  
"What shadow have you summoned?!" cried out Leena, shocked.  
  
"Your doom," Atikon replied. The mechanical figure then brought back one of its fists and swung it toward Leena. Bracing for the blow, Leena was surprised when a form materialized right next to her, absorbing the brunt of the deathblow and crumpling to the dirt. Part of the fist still crashed into Leena though, and she rolled over the ground. Harle was lying right next to her. The jester was not moving.  
  
"I told you that you were no match for me," Atikon said, coldly. As he kicked the limp form of Harle, the shadow of what he had summoned again vanished into the nothingness from which it came. Leena could only stare helplessly as Serge's embodied hatred approached her. He brought his weapon back for the blow that would surely end her life. "Any last words?"  
  
"I love you, Serge," the village maiden whispered. Atikon just laughed as his swallow shot forward. Leena closed her eyes as she knew this was to be the last moment of her life.  
  
"No!" cried out a voice. Leena was surprised to find herself still alive. Atikon was still in front of her with his weapon mere inches from her neck. He held that position like a statue, though.  
  
"I won't let you harm anyone else!" the voice shouted.  
  
"You fool!" Atikon squirmed. "What do you hope to accomplish? If I die, so do you!"  
  
The air next to Atikon seemed to waver with some unseen heat source. Although the village maiden could not discern anything at first, the more she stared at the anomaly, the more it took shape. With a slight squint in her eyes, she could make out the familiar ghostly form that now halted Atikon's killing blow. It was Serge.  
  
"Serge!" Leena called out.  
  
Ignoring her, the translucent Serge was still fighting his battle with Atikon. Looking very dejected, the normally quiet man said, "To begin the prevention of a grave travesty, there is no other way." Then he turned his head toward Leena, gave her a nod, and whispered, "Kill me."

"No, I can't, I..." Leena sobbed. Then, Harle's voice echoed in the back of her mind. 'And remember, if vous see an opening...take it'. Knowing what she must do, Leena brought her hand in front of her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, as she allowed the air to cool down in front of her. A lance of crystalline ice formed and aimed itself directly at Atikon's chest. With a flick of her wrist, the ice lance shot out and tore into the twisted Serge's shoulder, ripping through a number of vital arteries. Pouring out massive amounts of blood, Atikon slumped to his knees.  
  
Leena cradled her dying friend's head beneath her arms. She glanced over to see Harle was again moving and slowly bringing herself to her feet. The eyes of Serge were still red, however.  
  
"You think you've stopped me, huh?" Atikon taunted. "You haven't done anything! See you on the other side, suckers!"  
  
"No, but...we...you have been stopped," said Leena, confused. The eyes of her friend then returned to their piercing blue.  
  
"You need to help me. He's waiting for me," Serge said, fear in his voice.  
  
"Who?" asked Harle, as she inched ever closer.  
  
"My...father..." Serge replied, as breathing now became more labored.  
  
"How can we help you?" Leena pressed. "Just tell me and I'll do anything!"  
  
With a glazed look in his eyes, Serge turned and stared right into Leena's very soul. "Where stars...cross...fate..." he croaked out, before he was able to speak no more.  
  
"No...don't leave me, Serge! Come back!" Leena said. "I don't want to be alone anymore..."  
  
"Does mademoiselle Leena t'ink zis Serge was being 'onest?" asked Harle.  
  
"I think, in the final seconds he was here, Serge was being nothing but truthful with us," Leena answered. She then ran her hand through the mime's hair. There should found a little tuft of blue buried beneath all that crimson.  
  
"Well, we should give 'im a proper rest..." Harle began, when Serge's body suddenly started to melt away. Leena and Harle looked on in horror as the very air itself seemed to consume his pale flesh. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.  
  
"Can't we just go home now?" Leena sobbed. "I just don't think I can fight you, Harle. Any more death would just cause more problems."  
  
"I am sorry, but this abomination of a tournament must end," an unfamiliar voice said from behind the two women. Sitting on a slab of stone five feet behind them was a hollow figure. The form was wearing a deep purple robe that was secured around its waist with a rainbow colored sash. Gazing into its eyes, the two ladies could have sworn they saw whole planets being born and solar systems being destroyed.  
  
"Who are vous?" asked Harle.  
  
"My name is Trutin," replied the figure. "But that is not important now. What really matters is what my subordinates have set up without my knowing. Because of certain events that have transpired recently, life as we know it is in severe danger."  
  
"I don't get it," Leena said, confused. "We stopped Atikon and Lynx. People died for what they thought was right! How could our actions mean nothing?"

"What you have done is not in vain," Trutin answered her. "You have prevented Atikon from gaining the wish, which also could have proved disastrous. However, you must finish what you have started. The only way to do this is for a true champion to emerge."  
  
"After zo much moi 'as been t'rough," Harle said. "Now vous propose one of us killz ze ozer?"  
  
"How you end it is up to you," Trutin sighed. "The only thing I know for certain is that it must end. I now bid you farewell. You will see me again when a champion has emerged. Only a true heart can lead Serge back down the path of redemption and save all life from the encroaching darkness. Do not waver in your resolve." The figure then vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving the two contemplating the meaning of its words.  
  
"Harle, I..." Leena muttered, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Mademoiselle Leena, vous 'ave shown moi not'ing but kindness zees past few months," Harle responded. "Yet vous heard ze person. I am sorry, but ze next time we meet, we must fight. I will meet vous back 'ere in ze morning." Harle then teleported away, in order to gather her own thoughts. Leena was left all alone, as she felt scared at the looming destiny she had entangled herself within.

* * *

Atikon was floating in space, as he looked around at his surroundings. 'Where am I?' he thought. There was a featureless landscape in front of him. And at the end, was a solitary figure. As the evil double stared harder, he saw the form beckon to him.  
  
"Hey you!" Atikon called out, as he walked over to this mysterious person. "Just where the hell am I?! And who are you?"  
  
"I was wondering when you would get here," the feline demi-human said, smiling to reveal a row of razor-sharp teeth. "Do all children gain some type of perverse pleasure when disobeying their parents?"  
  
"What's your game, old man?" Atikon said, knowing himself to be far superior to his washed-up father.  
  
"Patience my son," Lynx said, in a soothing voice. "I have a proposal that I believe we will both enjoy..."

**By: Daredevil3181**

* * *

Round 44 – Harle (K), Leena is the Champion!!

In Praetoria, the residence of the gods, six figures of varying color and shape were seated at a majestic rectangular table. Six seats were taken: three on the two opposing sides, divided by gender. There were seven seats total. The lone seat at the head of the table was empty and twelve eyes fixed themselves on the vacant spot.  
  
"So, when does she get here?" spoke Mephos, the stocky god of earth and lightning.  
  
"He better show up soon. I'm tired of waiting!" the goddess of fire, Pyrika, burst out.  
  
Ganta, the goddess of life and nature, fingered the vine shoulder straps of her dress and queried, "What do you think he wants to tell us?"  
  
"I am curious, as well," Scyllor, the god of water and magic, added.  
  
The goddess of darkness and death, Kylin, tapped her fingers on the table impatiently, "Well, I'm not waiting much longer. If he doesn't show up in the next few minutes, I'm leaving."  
  
Pallad, the god of light and rebirth, assured, "She will arrive soon. She has something important she must discuss with us, so we need to wait. Ah, Trutin is here."  
  
Above the empty seat at the head of the table, a body began to materialize. The body was wrapped in a long purple robe tied with a bright sash of all colors. The eyes contained much authority and mystery, but currently they also contained disappointment. The being of all and none spoke, "I thank you for being on time, brothers and sisters. Let us not waste another moment; we have much to discuss."  
  
The males, on the right side of Trutin, nodded at the powerful being. In their eyes, Trutin was a masterpiece of beauty, having the ideal female form. She was full of forgiveness and compassion and was the creator of all. At the opposite side, to the left of Trutin, the females nodded as well. To them, Trutin was the exemplar of the striking male with an adamant persona and the ability to destroy all.  
  
Trutin acknowledged the others' attention and began, "As you know, your tournament is drawing to a close. The champion will soon be crowned. However, it has not gone as smoothly as you intended it to be. A manipulator has shown his face and is threatening us all. You did not treat his proposal of the tournament seriously and you have not been monitoring the events as you should have. Now his evil plan is nearing fruition. You underestimated him and you must pay the consequences."

"Yes, we made a foolish mistake, Trutin. We apologize," Pallad confessed.  
  
"We did not think it through," added Scyllor.  
  
Pyrika slammed her fist onto the table, "All is not lost! We can stop that pathetic mortal!"  
  
"We are the gods of the universe! We can teach that bastard his lesson right now!" proclaimed Kylin.  
  
The being of all and none brought up a hand and silenced the others. "No, you cannot. I cannot directly interfere and neither can you."  
  
Mephos rubbed his brow. "If we cannot directly interfere, how can we stop this?"  
  
"You must help the contestants defeat this threat," Trutin explained. "The balance must be restored. You have dug yourselves into a hole and now you must find your way out of it."

* * *

Leena promised Harle that they would meet in the southern area of the island, near the ancient ruins, the location of Atikon's death. She stepped over a few branches on the ground and walked under the thick foliage of a cluster of trees. Ahead of Leena was a statue, so worn down it was unintelligible. Leaning against it was Harle.  
  
"I zee vous 'ave made it, mademoiselle Leena," Harle greeted.  
  
"Yes. We are both here, like we promised," Leena replied gravely.  
  
The two faced each other but made no move. Harle spoke up, "It iz time to decide. Only one of us may be champion and zave Serge."  
  
"I know, Harle," Leena sighed. "Before we fight, let's talk. Let's talk about our feelings for Serge and our desire to bring him back."  
  
Harle responded, a bit relieved to stall the fighting, "Oui. Vous may speak first."  
  
"Okay," Leena began. "You know I love Serge. I love him very much. We've been best friends for as long as I can remember. When we were just little kids, we were so innocent and so happy. When we were older, our friendship grew to love, but our friendship only strengthened. I know that our feelings still exist and I know that I can use them to bring back our Serge. I made a promise to myself and to Serge that I would find a way to bring him back and I will not break it. I know that I must become champion to accomplish this, so I am determined to win. I am ready to fight."  
  
Harle was silent as Leena made her speech. When Leena was finished, Harle went over the words in her head, 'Mademoiselle Leena's wordz are true. She iz sincere.' She looked hard at Leena. The Arni girl had misted eyes due to unshed tears and she was prepared to enter her battle stance at any minute. Aloud, she said, "Mademoiselle Leena, I acknowledge your feelingz for Serge. I realize zat vous 'ave much more to gain and to loze in zis fight and vous 'ave a better chance of zaving Serge. My decision iz to...surrender."

"Surrender? Harle..." Leena gasped at the turn of events. The jester collapsed to the ground and lay on her back. From her feet, tiny dust particles rose into the air and were carried away by the wind. "You're disintegrating!" Leena exclaimed.  
  
"Oui. It iz because I surrendered. Vous 'ave won the contest, mademoiselle Leena. Now it iz your duty to zave Serge and the world." Harle spoke quickly, knowing that she had little time left. Her feet and shins were gone.  
  
Leena sobbed and grabbed onto the jester's hands, "I will, Harle. I am ready to fulfill my destiny. Thank you. I honestly wouldn't have made it this far without you."  
  
"Leena," Harle whispered. Leena noticed that she didn't use formalities. "Remember what vous asked me the ot'er day? You asked, 'If it ever comez down between my life and freeing Serge, which would you pick?'" Leena nodded as the jester's hands disintegrated in her own. "I 'ave decided to give up my own life so that vous may free Serge. I 'ave no regretz." Harle whispered her last words as her mouth and the rest of her face blew away in the wind. Leena was left kneeling in the dirt.  
  
"Congratulations, Leena," a familiar voice said. Trutin materialized in front of the grieving girl. "It is a bittersweet occasion, but you are the champion of this contest. Time is of the essence and there is no time to grieve. It is time for you to make your wish."  
  
Leena dried her eyes with the palm of her hand and stood up. "W-wish? Now? What should I wish for...?"  
  
"You must choose carefully, as you only get one wish and it cannot be taken back. The clues have been presented to you. Now you must decipher them." On the worn statue appeared an antique hourglass, with all of the sand in the upper chamber. Grains began to fall into the lower chamber in a thin stream. "You have one hour."

* * *

Lynx and Atikon, father and son, floated in a black space. Lynx was wearing a sinister smile and his eyes were full of mischief. Atikon was wearing a frown and had eyes filled with suspicion.  
  
"You have a proposal? Ha! If there is one thing you have taught me, it is that I can never trust you," the evil double scoffed as he folded his arms across his chest.  
  
Lynx shook his head with a knowing smile, "I knew you would respond this way. You are correct; I am not one to be trusted. However, I created you. I brought you out and gave you power! You are my true son."  
  
"Oh dear, I need a tissue to dry my tears!" Atikon mocked. "Spare me. I don't give a crap if you brought me out. I am here now and my power is withut equal. I'm not interested in your ideas."  
  
"Yes, you have great power, but with great power comes great greed. You crave more of it; I can see it in your eyes! With my plan, we will have all the power we can comprehend. We will be gods!" Lynx declared with clenched fists.  
  
Atikon's eyebrows raised at the words. With his curiosity piqued, he pressed, "Go on."  
  
"I see you are interested," the feline laughed. "Before I reveal my scheme, there is some background information you must be informed of. We are currently in a small pocket of space outside of reality. I was banished here after Serge and his entourage defeated FATE. FATE had a protocol that activated when it died: its technical component links with the nearest being. That being was Serge. Once the Time Devourer was defeated and Schala was freed, the two worlds united to the benefit of all humans. But not to the benefit of us! Humans regained their free will and they began to make their own foolish decisions. With no FATE, there is no certainty in the world and no control. The thought is sickening!"  
  
Atikon nodded at his father and agreed for once, "Yes. That is not the way it should be. What do you intend to do?"  
  
"We must revive FATE!" Lynx bellowed. "But let's not stop there. We will make it stronger than it ever was before!"  
  
"And that is where I come in, isn't it? Since Serge is linked to the technical component of FATE, his body is needed to revive FATE, and I am in control of his body," Atikon said.  
  
"You are correct, my son," Lynx replied. "That is the reason I brought you forth. Serge would never agree to revive FATE, so I had to bring forth his negative side: you. While I was outside of reality, I could not interact with anything within the realms of reality, Serge included. I had to bring him to me. So, I sent a message to the gods of the universe proposing a contest."  
  
Atikon remarked, "Ah, you are the one who came up with the idea of the contest."  
  
Lynx nodded. "Yes, it was me. The gods naively agreed to my idea and invited all who were involved in the defeat of the Time Devourer to participate in a survival contest located on an island in another dimension."

"Another dimension?" the doppelganger repeated.  
  
"Perfidia is located in another dimension, yes," Lynx confirmed. "In addition, the contestants, including us, were not physically there at all. Only our minds were. Our bodies were 'sleeping' outside of reality. Whenever a person died, their mind simply returned to their body, which stays in suspended animation until the contest is over."  
  
"None of it was real...I see..." Atikon took all this information in.  
  
Lynx continued, "I had a few people working for me in reality. A beeba in the Hydra Marshes concocted a sedative and sent it into the Dimensional Vortex, where I was able to collect it. A demi-human named Prot 'accidentally' knocked the Dragon Emblem into Steena's bag. All this was set up to ensure your arrival, my son. Once we arrived on the island and the contest started, I began the corruption of Serge. I sedated Steena and stole the Dragon Emblem. Before I used it on Serge, I tested it on Guile, who was caught off guard. I hypnotized him and left an impression in his mind so I could control him whenever I wished. Every night, Guile took the Dragon Emblem from Steena and bombarded Serge with negativity. I soon realized that Steena had to be alive for the Dragon Emblem to be operable, so I cured her. When you finally made your entrance, Steena, the Dragon Emblem, and our participation in the contest were obsolete. Everything was already set in place. When I 'died,' I returned to my pocket outside of reality and waited for you. I released you from your 'sleep' when you 'died' so we could have this conversation now."  
  
Atikon smirked, "Well, old man, that was pretty impressive, I must say. You went through that entire ordeal to bring me here. You are also guilty of greed for power."  
  
"Guilty as charged," the feline admitted. "Here we are. Two people, father and son, thirsty for power. The means of this power is right in front of our faces...all we have to do is take it! Atikon, my son, let's rebuild FATE, make it new and improved, and be gods! Do you agree?"  
  
Atikon gave it no hesitation. With a sinister smile, he answered, "I agree."

**By: TenkoStar17**


	13. Destiny Takes a Turn, Post Contest Intro

The adventures on the island of Perfidia come to a close here, but there is still much work to be done by Leena and others in order to stop the plans of Lynx and FATE. Here she begins the first step on this leg of her journey and meets someone who reminds her of a dear friend. This person will be monumental in her efforts, as this individual is also searching for a missing piece. As always, if you have any questions, please write them into your reviews and I will do my best to answer them here. Enjoy.

* * *

Post Contest Intro

"Good, I am glad you have seen it my way," Lynx said. His mouth was pulled back in a sinister smile.

"So, now what happens?" asked Atikon.

"Time for the awakening," answered the feline demi-human.

"But I'm already awake," remarked Atikon, confused.

"Not you, my boy. The power that dwells inside of you," Lynx explained.

"Huh...?" Atikon began, before his words were cut off. Suddenly black tendrils of smoke began to exit his ears and mouth. The noxious fumes covered his whole body, so that there was a thin veil of fog enveloping him.

"What's going on?!" Atikon questioned. "Lynx, what are you doing to me?"

"You're doing it to yourself," Lynx replied. "Or, more precisely, FATE is now joining with you to form a new and improved version. I won't lie to you, though. This will probably hurt. A lot."

As Atikon was examining his form beneath the fog, he began to feel stabbing pains in his arms and legs. Wondering where they were coming from, he was shocked to find little bumps pushing up from underneath his skin. Just when he thought the pressure couldn't get any worse, the precursors to his transformation did just that. With a sickening rip, tiny little machines burst through every pore of his skin and began to coalesce into a dense blanket over him.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" screamed Atikon, in searing pain.

"Embrace your destiny..." Lynx laughed, as the boy who used to be Serge writhed beneath him.

* * *

"I just don't know what to say," Leena said, aloud. "I want this whole thing to end and for Serge to return to normal. But what wish could I make to accomplish this?" She had been nervously pacing around the ruins for the past forty-five minutes. Every so often she would stop and glance at the hourglass. There were fifteen minutes left.

"What was it that Riddel said?" Leena asked. "There were two visions. One was people ruled over by some mega machine thing. The other was a utopia of sorts and there was...Kid? But Kid is dead, right? It just doesn't make any sense!" Leena slumped down on a slab of stone, her eyes beginning to mist up.

"There's just too much pressure on me! It's not fair!" Leena yelled into the sky. "Harle sacrificed herself so that I could be the one to help Serge! I just can't let her down. She's counting on me. Serge is counting on me. They're all counting on me..." Leena then cradled her head into her hands.

"Why couldn't Serge have come out of the coma?" Leena whispered. "Why did it have to be Atikon? This isn't the way it was supposed to be. Serge and I should have been together forever. And then Atikon was so destructive. He even broke the..." Leena's eyes suddenly lit up as a realization hit her.

"He broke the Chrono Cross!" she shouted, as the village girl jumped to her feet. "I think he said...yes, I'm almost sure he did. He said that the melody of the Chrono Cross was his weakness. We need the song in order to break Serge out from the prison Atikon has him in!"

Leena was prancing around, but suddenly calmed down, as another thought hit her. "Oh yeah, not everyone can wield the Chrono Cross, though. Its power can only be used by a select few. One of them was definitely Serge. But there has to be others, right? I mean, out of all the different dimensions, another person must exist. The question now is where...?"

A plinking sound was heard off in the distance, as the final grain of sand entered the bottom chamber of the hourglass. The air next to Leena began to shimmer as a form materialized. It was wearing the same purple robe and rainbow sash as before, but its face looked very grave indeed. Trutin had arrived.

"Have you decided upon your wish, mortal?" the supreme being asked.

"I think, but if I only had more time..." Leena trailed off.

"Unfortunately, that is one thing we do not have to spare. Even as we speak, the feline monstrosity and his other component are advancing their side of things. Time is up and the wish needs to be fulfilled!" Trutin boomed.

"OK, then I wish for you to stop Lynx's plan," Leena stated.

"I am sorry, but I cannot do that, mortal," Trutin responded, looking forlorn. "I can merely give you the means to carry out your actions. I cannot perform the actions themselves."

"I figured as much," Leena sighed. "Well, then my wish will be in two parts. Is that doable?"

"Most certainly," replied Trutin. "As long as the components of the wish are within my power."

"I think it'll fit in just fine," remarked Leena. "Well then, for the first part of my wish. I wish that the Chrono Cross was again whole and in my possession."

"Done," confirmed Trutin, as the healing artifact solidified itself in Leena's hands. "And the next part?"

"I wish that the person capable of wielding it was where I could find him or her and that together we could restore the true Serge's mindset," the village girl said, her voice filled with resolve.

"Let it be so," Trutin declared. With a wave of his arms, a dark howling rift opened beside Leena.

"What is this?" asked Leena, shocked.

"That is where you will find the one capable of wielding the power you hold within your grasp," Trutin answered. "I cannot bring the person to you, however. It is up to you to greet this mortal yourself."

The Arni girl just stared at the blackness of the stars and space through the hole. Lifetimes flashed before her eyes as the universe continued in its ever-expanding growth. It was a little intimidating, but Leena clutched the Chrono Cross tight against her chest. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "For Serge," before she stepped through the rift and left the island of Perfidia behind forever.

"May you find the courage you need to do what is right," Trutin called out, as the being of all and none closed the rift behind Leena. With another wave of its outstretched arms, Trutin hurried itself back to Praetoria. It was here that the other deities, eager to find out more how they would be allowed to remedy the damage already wrought, greeted the supreme being.

* * *

Clutching the charm around its necklace, the person had been trying to find its way home for what seemed like eons. There was a part of it missing, and the life form would not rest until it was whole again. Each attempt to return had brought the figure closer toward its goal, but it was still much too far away.

"I have to keep trying," it said. "I cannot give up until the gap is sealed." The figure clutched the charm even closer and called up the power within. A new gate opened in front of the person. This gate seemed different from the others, however. It seemed almost...divine.

"May the gods be with me," the form whispered, as it stepped through the howling rift, in search of the piece that would make it whole again.

* * *

Atikon's cries would make most people cringe. His whole form was bending and breaking itself to match the programming his psyche had absorbed. The sight was unbearable to ordinary mortals and downright wretched for those weak of heart. Lynx just grinned in glee. FATE would live again.

"AAAHHHhhhhhh..." Atikon whimpered, as his screams finally died down. The form that was now in front of the cat-man could not be described as Atikon any longer. With circuitry connecting every part to one another and nanites constantly maintaining its appearance, the new creature could only be described as one thing: FATE.

"Welcome back," Lynx said, an eager tone evident in his voice.

"Yes, my servant," FATE spoke, a grating sound to its speech. "You have done well in reviving me. My power is very limited, however. I need to be rooted in home once again."

"I can facilitate that change," Lynx explained. "All you need to do is send me back to reality. The rest will be taken care of."

"Then that is what will be done," buzzed FATE. It stretched out one of its mechanical arms and placed it over Lynx's head. The sound of motors churning produced an energy sphere at the tip of the grand computer's fingers. From there it settled over the feline demi-human. Lynx vanished from the space beyond reality, laughing the whole trip back. Its energy reserves drained, FATE closed its eyes and prepared itself for the moment it would once again control humanity.

* * *

Leena was shocked to find the one thing in front of her that she had least expected: Herself! In a state of slumber, her body was right in front of her, oblivious to all that took place around it. As she approached it, she placed her hand on the other Leena's shoulder to wake the girl up. Try as she might, though, she couldn't shake the form awake. Sighing, she tried to retract her hand, but found it was held tight.

Panicking, Leena tugged with all her might, but it was no use. Her body was stuck to this other person like glue. Attempting to give herself leverage, she used her feet to free her appendage, but they only ended up getting absorbed as well. Finally, an idea dawned on her.

'I think I've been going about this all wrong,' Leena thought to herself. 'Maybe instead of trying to wake this up with force, I need to fully join with her. Anyway, it's worth a shot.' The village girl then relaxed herself and allowed her form to flow together with this slumbering figure. It tingled all over, but Leena choose to ignore it. Once the fusion was complete, everything was once again dark.

'Oh no! I was wrong!' thought Leena, feeling sad at her failure. 'But how to get out of here now?' Suddenly, the world was again filled with light. Leena had an ache in her back and neck. Coughing, she brought her hand up to shield her sensitive eyes. In her hand was the Chrono Cross. Looking around, she came to the conclusion that she was once again in her own body.

In the distance, a figure in a gray cloak appeared. She could not make out its face, but it appeared to be lost just the same. There was nothing above or below Leena, but she quickly learned that she could move around just by thinking it.

"Hey, wait!" Leena called out to the hooded figure. At the sound of her voice, the mysterious person stopped and turned around. A chill wind blew back the cowl of her hood, to reveal a face Leena had never thought to see again.

"Is that really you?!" Leena asked, not believing what she saw. Wasting no time, the villager sped off to greet the figure.

* * *

Outside the entrance to Chronopolis, a black ball slowly descended down. The dark sphere touched the ground and slowly began to take shape. Hands and feet emerged. A head popped out. Claws adorned the appendages and a snout and razor teeth found their way onto the face. As the transformation completed, Lynx brought the heel of his boot down with a resounding thud.

"Ah, to be real again!" the feline exulted. "I am finally free from that void-like prison!"

Grasping his hooked blade at his side, the cat-man triumphantly pushed aside the door to his former home. As he entered the main hall, the various maintenance and security drones prepared to defend their domain. They scanned the demi-human and realized he did indeed belong here. Scuttling closer to the biological component of their supercomputer, they prepared themselves for his instructions.

"Yes, I have come home, my children," Lynx thundered. "I have been away for far too long!" The machines shuffled in approval.

"But we cannot rest just yet," he continued. "Your master will be home shortly and there is much work to be done!" Lynx then strode off and the myriad of machines quickly followed behind.

* * *

"So what shall we do now, Trutin?" asked Pallad, in the gods' home of Praetoria. "Simply sit here and watch?"

"You are not allowed to directly interfere," answered Trutin. "Although pertinent information is allowable."

"What do you mean?" wondered Ganta.

"There are contestants even now looked within the confines of a suspended rest, are there not?" Trutin responded.

"Yes," answered Pyrika. "However, they are watched over by the guardians of each realm."

"And it is well-known that the guardians have not been obeying our commands ever since two of our contestants prematurely left their confines," added Scyllor.

"Unfortunate for you," said Trutin. "What do you propose to do about that?"

"It seems that we must allow the one true champion to enter into each of our realms. Here she will find a representative of each sphere to carry with her into battle. The only way to do this, though, is to aid her in defeating the guardians," Mephos speculated.

"Your heads are all as dense as stones!" snapped Kylin. "Of course our wise surveyor is practically prodding us to go forth and give the champion and her companions hints. Only by doing this will she prove her worth."

"Patience, my dear Kylin," soothed Trutin. "Although, that is indeed the gist of what I am implying. Now go forth, and assist the girl in fulfilling her own destiny and that of those around her." The gods and goddesses nodded their heads in unison. Each then traveled to his or her own realm, where he or she would wait for the champion to arrive.

"So begins free will's last stand. And with it, our very existence," whispered Trutin.

* * *

"Kid? Kid?! Is that really you?" asked Leena, happy to see the energetic girl again.

The face beneath the cowl was indeed that of the blonde girl Leena and the others had come to know well. There was something different about it, however. Leena couldn't put her finger on it, but this was and was not the Kid she had known from before.

"You know Kid?!" replied the woman.

"Yes, of course I do," responded Leena. "You're her...aren't you?"

"I am afraid not," answered the mysterious girl, as she shook her head. "But I have been searching for her long and hard. For you see, I cannot be complete without her. You must take me to this girl!"

"Slow down!" Leena said, exasperated. Things were just happening to fast for her to follow. "If you're not Kid, then who are you?"

"Forgive me for my rudeness," apologized the woman. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a princess from the kingdom of Zeal, which existed long ago. I have had many titles throughout my lifetime, but I think there is one that suits me best. You may call me Schala."

**By: Daredevil3181**


	14. Pitter Patter, Yellow Realm

Here begins Leena and Schala's quest to recover pivotal members of the previously eliminated adventurers. These members of their team will be crucial in order to show enough power to defeat FATE. The voting for the realms were a little different, but still worked in the vein of things. Users voted for which character they wanted to save out of all the innates and then he or she was added to the group. The story follows this format all the way up until the White Realm, so read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Yellow Realm – Norris (Yellow Champion)

In the space beyond reality, a bewildered champion spoke to an eager cross-dimensional traveler. "You're Schala?! The one we rescued from the Time Devourer? How is this possible?" asked Leena.

"Yes, I am Schala, the one you freed from that eternal prison," the princess answered. "You are in the space beyond reality, so it is certainly possible to find me, but I never thought I would meet anybody in this infinitely large emptiness."

"Wow...so this is where you went..." Leena whispered. "Oh! I'm sorry! I never introduced myself. My name is Leena. Nice to meet you." She nervously extended her hand out to the blonde.

Schala shook it with a sincere smile and said, "The honor is mine. I am indebted to you and your friends."

"Oh, that's alright...Wait, that's it! You're the one that can use the Chrono Cross! It all makes sense!" Leena's eyes lit up in realization.

"What do you mean?" asked the confused Princess.

"Err...let me start from the beginning. But I'll have to keep it short, as we don't have much time," Leena clarified. "My friends and I were in this survival contest on this island and an evil cat-man named Lynx corrupted our Serge until his evil side, Atikon, took over his body!"

Schala sighed, "I sensed that something rotten was transpiring...and I knew in my gut that it was Serge..."

"Yeah..." Leena sympathized. "Atikon and Lynx terrorized the whole island until we killed them. When Atikon died, Serge came through and said his final words...He said, 'My father is waiting for me...' Serge's father is Lynx! He's in trouble and we need to help him and stop Lynx!"

"Oh my..." Schala gasped. "This is a very bad situation! Unfortunately, I do not know where to find Serge or Lynx..."

"I have the Chrono Cross! I wished for it when I reluctantly became champion, along with the one that can use it. That's you! I entered this black empty place and I woke up." Leena ran a hand down her smooth and flawless dress. "It's like it was a dream...but it wasn't. I don't quite understand it, but I have the Chrono Cross and you are here. That means this is true and we have to bring our Serge back!"

"Yes. It was your wish that opened the door that led me to you. Let me see that Chrono Cross. Maybe I can do something with it..." Leena stopped fidgeting with her dress and hesitantly handed over the precious item to the princess. Schala held it softly in her hands and closed her eyes. A few sweet musical notes floated out of the item and spread throughout the surroundings.

"Wow! Look, Schala, a door!" Leena gasped.

Schala opened her eyes and, sure enough, there was an open doorway in front of them. Nothing could be seen on other side, just a bright yellow light. "Leena, before we step through that door, I should fill you in on our environment. This is the space beyond reality, meaning we are not in the real world that you are familiar with. Anything goes here, so watch your step. Think of this world as a house. This is an endless house filled with an infinite number of rooms of varying sizes, from very limiting and constricting broom closets to master bedrooms of immeasurable dimensions. As for that door...it could lead into any possible room. There is no way of knowing until we step through, so we will just have to trust the Chrono Cross. Ready?"

"Yes," Leena gulped, swallowing back her fear of the unknown. She filled her head with the thought of Serge in her arms and found the courage to continue.

"Okay, let's go!" Schala said excitedly.

The two girls stepped through the doorway and into the unknown...

A yellow environment greeted them. It was a stone room, with walls consisting of enormous dusty yellow bricks. When Leena moved her feet over the floor she shifted the layer of dust, revealing a floor that was composed of the same material as the walls. Looking up, she saw a slanted ceiling, the low end on the far side and the high end over her head. Like everything else in the room, the ceiling was covered with a fine gray dust everywhere except the center. Attached flat to the center of the ceiling was a circular golden plate, about six feet in diameter. Amazingly, there was no dust at all on the gold plate: it was a flawless piece of treasure that shone brilliantly, despite the lack of light in the room.

While the radiating gold plate on the ceiling seemed designed to attract all the eyes in the room, something else dragged the four eyes away from it. Standing in the center of the room was a short squat man with thick stubby limbs that poked out from his mighty suit of armor. However, these thick stubby limbs held such power in them that the very air seemed to waver in its movement. His face was characterized by thick eyebrows and facial hair that covered his chin. He had a small round nose and puffy cheeks. When he opened his mouth, a booming bass voice shook the dust off the walls and ceiling, "I've been waiting for you two girls! Congratulations to you, Miss Leena, the champion of our tournament! And welcome, Schala, the wanderer of space! My name is Mephos!"

"You know of us?" questioned Leena.

"Yes, my child," Mephos answered. "I have been watching you from the heavens for a long time. I am the god of earth and lightning, one of the seven gods of the universe. You have already met the supreme god of all and nothing, Trutin."

"Y-Yes, I have," Leena confirmed, a little intimidated by the imposing figure before her. "So you are one of the other gods...What do you want to tell us?"

"I am afraid I should ask you that first. What did you come here to say? What are your plans in my realm?" the yellow god questioned.

Leena took a deep breath to steady her nerves, "I am on a mission to save Serge and to foil Lynx's plans. However, I don't know where the two of them are, how to reach them, or what they are doing..."

"Alright, I will quickly fill you in," Mephos volunteered. "As of this moment, Atikon has begun the merging process with FATE in Chronopolis. Lynx and FATE will control all life on earth and eventually the universe if they are not stopped."

"That's horrible!" Schala exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, we gods are forbidden to directly interfere, so it is up to you to correct our mistakes. Of course, you need all the help you can get and we will aid you as much as we can."

"What will you do for us?" Leena asked in curiosity.

The god of earth and lightning lifted a mighty arm and pointed across the room. "Beyond are your sleeping friends. I am sure you figured out by now that the tournament was only a mental challenge, and your bodies were located outside of reality the whole time."

Leena nodded, "Yeah, I had that suspicion."

"The contestants are divided based on the elements they are aligned with; in other words, their innate elements," he continued. "Out there sleep the children of earth and lightning. You may select one to wake up. That person will join you in your fight to stop FATE, so choose wisely. Understand?"

The girls nodded.

"Before you go out there," warned Mephos, "you should prepare for battle."

"Battle? Why?" inquired Schala.

"I have placed a beast to guard the sleeping mortals in case of an intruder. Now it stands between you and your sleeping friends," Mephos explained soberly.

"A guardian beast? Could you elaborate a little, please? How do we defeat it?" Leena prodded.

The god of thunder and land shook his head, "I am afraid I cannot tell you anymore about the beast. This also functions as a test of strength, courage, and cunning. You will have to devise a strategy to reach your friends."

Leena sighed, "I knew you would say that...You can't give any hints?"

"The most I can offer is a riddle," he relented.

"I like riddles! I'm good at solving them, too," the princess proudly proclaimed.

"Me too! Bring it on!" yelled Leena, caught in the excitement.

"When darkness is all one sees, you must rely on other things. Your footfalls are like raindrops now, but to him they are thundering!" Mephos boomed.

"Hmm..." Leena thought out loud.

"It is time for you to proceed," Mephos interrupted their thoughts and walked toward the opposite wall.

"Wait! Can't we think about the riddle first?" Leena complained.

"No. You must hurry. Time is of the essence," replied the god.

"Where have I heard that before..." Leena muttered under her breath.

The opposite wall did not appear to be anything special, as there was nothing that set it apart from the other walls. However, when the god placed his powerful hands on the wall and pushed, a yellow light highlighting a doorframe appeared on it. He continued to push until the wall inside the light separated from the rest of the wall and moved forward. When it moved enough, he pushed it to the side and out of the way. The resulting opening emanated a wavering, pulsating yellow light. "The door is open and my job is done. Good luck on your mission." With those words, Mephos disappeared out of sight.

"Thanks for your help..." Schala said softly. She turned to Leena. "Ready, Leena?" Leena nodded and they advanced through the doorway.

On the other side, there was a similar room, only many times larger and without a roof. Instead of a stone floor, there was sand. Sand. And more sand. And sand on top of that. There was no beast in sight.

Schala looked around, a bit flustered. "I don't see any sleeping people or a beast."

The two girls walked out further. "Yeah. They must be either below or above," Leena pondered.

"I would say below. This is the realm of the god of earth, after all," Schala guessed.

"You're right, Schala. Good think—Woah!!"Leena screamed along with Schala. Immediately in front of their path a round smooth head sprung from the sand. Its mouth hung wide, revealing sharp teeth. On its head were two little ears that twitched at every little sound. The girls stepped back to avoid being bitten and ran backwards. The head submerged beneath the depths of the sand.

"That must be the beast! It looked like a hippopotamus!" Schala screamed in fear. Beneath their feet, the sand shook and shuffled.

"The sand is dropping! It must be the beast! Look out!" Leena cried out. The beast's head reappeared in front of them and nearly took a bite out of them. "Don't stop moving or it will get us!"

"Think of the riddle," the princess suggested. "It's the only way!"

"'When darkness is all one sees, you must rely on other things.' What does it mean?!" Leena panted.

"The beast! It can't see beneath the sand, so it must rely on other things. Another sense!" Schala exclaimed.

Leena grabbed Schala by the arms. "I've got it! The beast uses its sense of hearing to find us! 'Your footfalls are like raindrops now, but to him they are thundering!' It listens to our footsteps!"

"Great job, Leena! Target the ears to disable its senses!" Schala praised. The two girls stood, waiting in anticipation for the guardian to strike. It didn't take long for it to poke its bulbous head and snap at the girls.

"Now!!" both girls announced. They each jumped in opposite directions and aimed their hands carefully. Out of their hands shot balls of flames that burned the sensitive little ears to a crisp. The hippo howled in pain and dropped below once more. The sand continued to drop.

"It has no idea where we are since it can't hear us," Leena stated.

"Right," Schala agreed. "Let's wait for it and blow it away!" The champion and the princess stood their ground, elements ready. Only a few seconds passed before the guardian's head reappeared, this time in full rage. However, it was nowhere near the girls, who were prepared for it. Together they launched a massive burst of wind at it, blowing the hippo completely out of sight and out of mind. Not only was the hippo blown away, but so was the sand, and what wasn't blown away was drained away. The girls found themselves on the stone floor once again.

"Wow...here they are," gasped Schala. All the yellow innates were lying on the floor, surrounded by a bubble of light that kept the sand out. "Who are you going to wake up, Leena?"

Leena was walking towards one particular bubble with an object in her hand. She stood next to it and looked at the resting person inside. Perfectly healthy. She placed the object on the bubble and touched the surface. Immediately, it disappeared and the object fell onto the person's lap.

"Good morning, Norris!" Leena called out with a smile.

Norris brought his hands to his eyes and wiped out the sleepiness while sitting up. He then brought his hands down upon the object in his lap. "Urghh...Where am I? What's this?"

"Orlha wanted me to save it for you. All that's left is the barrel, I'm afraid," Leena informed.

"What...? Ohh...right. It's coming back now." Norris stood up and looked around.

"Look at this!" Schala pointed. The two others turned towards the indicated direction. Another door had opened up, this time emanating pulsing red light.

"We need to move on. We'll explain everything on the way, Norris," Leena said.

"Alright. I'm ready," Norris yawned. He stretched himself out and the threesome entered the rift.

Unbeknownst to them, the other seven bubbles disappeared and seven people sat up, yawning...

**By: TenkoStar17**


	15. Some Like It Hot, Red Realm

Nothing really to say here. Just read on for more story advancement. And as to why more than one person is released from this realm, that question will be answered later. As always, read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Red Realm - Miki (Red Champion)

The three companions stepped through the red rift and were within a mountain of some sort. There was heat coming from all around them. Leena was already wiping her brow, as she was beginning to sweat profusely. 

"Now could someone please explain to me what's going on?" Norris asked the two ladies.

"Yes, I suppose you do deserve an explanation," replied Schala. "But let's move over to that area. The heat does not seem so oppressive as a cool breeze counters it." The princess pointed to an enclosed area about forty yards away.

"We'll talk as we walk, then," agreed the soldier.

"Norris, remember that contest we were all in?" Leena began, being careful not to drag her feet.

"How could I forget?" Norris responded. "I remember Lynx and Atikon. I fought to save my team from those damned Shadow Cats! And I recall...dying. Is that what this is about? Are we all dead?"

Schala scoffed at this. "Quite the opposite, actually. You are very much alive right now, as are we. The tournament you competed in actually took place in a different dimension. Outside of reality, you fought with mental projections of yourselves, or avatars. Dying there simply returned your mind to your body, which was in a deep slumber."

"So how did you get here?" Norris wondered, still confused. "You weren't competing with us in the tournament."

"This is Princess Schala!" Leena replied, a little annoyed at the military man's interrogations. "She was the one we freed from the Time Devourer a little while back."

Norris' eyes opened wide as he realized he was addressing royalty. "Forgive my rudeness, your Highness. Consider me your personal soldier for as long as you need. I'd be happy to help you out in getting Serge back."

"Thank you for your kindness," Schala said, a note of warmth in her voice. "I am in this until the very end with both of you. Our success is necessary to the survival of humanity. If we fail, FATE will be revived and all life as we know it will be in serious trouble."

"Just one more question, though," pleaded Norris.

"What is it?" Leena conceded. There was no way you could keep this man from his goal. That was one of the main factors in her picking him out of the other yellow innates. As stubborn as he was, Norris always saw things through and stood up for what he believed was right.

"How did you get here, miss Schala?" Norris mused.

"You can thank your companion for that," answered the Zealian royalty. "I had been searching for a way back to the missing piece of me for quite some time. I believe you know her as Kid. Part of the wish Leena asked for was to have someone capable of wielding this artifact." She then held up the Chrono Cross. "So here I am."

"Sounds good to me," the soldier concluded. "Where do we go from here then? Go right up to fight FATE?"

"No," Leena said, as she shook her head. "We can't do it with just the three of us, so we have to maneuver around the space beyond reality to different realms. Within these realms the rest of our friends are sleeping. We pick one person from each innate to awaken. This will provide us with the power we need to successfully challenge Lynx and free Serge."

"I take it from all this fire and molten rock that we are in the Red Realm," Norris said, as he craned his neck all around.

"That would explain the heat," Schala said, sarcasm in her voice.

"Yeah, I wonder where we go from here?" Leena questioned. "The last realm we were in, the god there gave us a little chat before we went anywhere. Unfortunately, there's no one around here."

"Do not be so hasty, mortal!" a voice sounded from high above. The three looked up toward the ceiling to see a gorgeous woman speeding toward them. She was wearing a sheer red dress and her body seemed to scream with energy as she hurried toward them. "That is my job!"

"My name is Pyrika. I am the goddess of fire and unchecked emotion," she said to them as her feet hit the ground. "And you can close your mouth now."

Blushing, Norris looked away. The two women laughed at the soldier's gaffe.

"Well, let us skip the rest of the introductions," Pyrika said. "I obviously know who you all are, or else I would not have greeted you here. Besides, time is of the essence."

'This phrase is beginning to become a staple of speech here,' Leena thought. 'Maybe when I get back home I should invest in a watch.'

"At the center of this volcano you will find the guardian of this realm. She is firmly rooted in one place. The lava is her home," Pyrika explained.

"Then it should be easy to get past her!" Norris exclaimed. "We can move and she can't!"

"Would you be quiet and let me finish!" Pyrika boomed, her eyes filling with fire.

"Sorry," the military man whispered, wishing he could disappear into a corner somewhere.

"As I was saying, you will find her where the heat is the most intense," Pyrika continued. "And while she cannot move, she is quite formidable. I can assure you of that. On the other side of the area she guards, you will find those that align themselves with me."

"But how do we get through this furnace? We are in the outskirts here and can barely tolerate it now," Schala argued.

"I will take care of that," Pyrika smirked. The goddess recited ancient words of magic while placing her hand on each person's head. When she was done, she smiled her passionate grin once again. "You are now protected from the heat. However, these spells will not protect you from the guardian, so keep that in mind."

"Thank you, goddess," Schala said, grateful for the help.

"You are quite welcome," Pyrika followed. "Just promise me one thing: you will stop FATE from taking over."

"We will," Leena assured her.

"Fantastic!" the goddess laughed. She made as if she was about to leave and then turned back toward the trio. "The fire is hot. It can melt all things. If you cannot battle it in the end...stop it from the beginning!" Pyrika then vaulted herself into the air and vanished from sight.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" Norris wondered.

"It was a riddle," Leena answered. "Mephos, the yellow god, gave us a similar hint to beat his guardian and rescue you. For now, keep it in mind. It might be the only chance we have of beating this thing."

"Shall we be off?" Schala asked politely.

Leena and Norris nodded their heads in unison. Without further ado, the three of them followed the twisting tunnels of the volcano. They knew they were getting progressively closer to the guardian, but true to Pyrika's word, they did not feel any adverse effects from the heat. Finally, they found the guardian's lair.

The area was a huge cavern filled with plenty of open space. In the center was a pool of molten rock. Sitting in the pool was a gigantic salamander. She glared at them with her eyes, watching their every move. Behind her were the slumbering forms of their former companions, sleeping soundly in their red bubbles.

"There! That is Kid!" shouted Schala, as she temporarily lost her composure.

"Whoa, slow down there, your Highness," Norris said, as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "We see her too. I don't think we can just run up and free her, though, as there has to be a catch."

"Yes, you are right," Schala conceded, calming down some. "I am sorry for that outburst. It is just that I have been searching for my missing piece for so long. And to have finally found her means more to me than you shall ever know."

"Don't worry, Schala, we'll help you get her," Leena assured the princess. "Just as soon as we figure out what threat this creature poses." The village girl then walked toward the slumbering forms. Before she got far, however, the overgrown lizard blew a searing hot stream of fire at her, effectively blocking the way.

"OK, new idea!" Leena cried, as she hurriedly rushed back.

"Maybe water?" Norris speculated.

"It is worth a shot," Schala agreed. "You make a run for it. We will stand back and douse its flames."

"Me? Why me?!" questioned Norris, as his eyes practically popped out of his head.

"Because you are my personal soldier. And I said so." There was a stern look in the princess' eyes.

"Fine, fine. I'm going. Cover me." Norris then dashed off toward the other side.

The salamander saw this and immediately drew in a sharp intake of air. She then released a huge jet of fire at the soldier. Leena and Schala called upon the powers of water and hurled it to intercept the flames. The deluges made contact with the attack, but vanished in a hiss of steam, having no noticeable effect.

"Oh crap!" shouted Norris. He narrowly avoided getting singed and then hurried back to the safe area.

"Sure, send me out there," the military man, huffed. "Let's try this my way. How about we all spread out. Surely this monstrosity can't track two people at once."

"You and Leena run around opposite sides, then," Schala instructed. "I'll keep her busy with my magic." With a nod the two friends then broke into a dead sprint.

The salamander tracked both targets with her eyes. Schala then released an energy bolt at the creature. With two quick breaths, the lizard again blew fire at the runners, halting their advances. The Zealian's energy bolt washed over the salamander, having no visible effect. Once again foiled, the three regrouped.

"Well, when all else fails, try the riddle," Leena reasoned. "Apparently we can't battle this fire head on. So instead we must...'stop it from the beginning'? What do you suppose that means?" The three thought it over carefully. After a few moments of silence, Schala spoke up.

"I have it!" she cried triumphantly. "Before each blast of fire, the salamander draws in a breath."

"So we need to prevent it from doing that!" Norris finished, understanding what the princess meant. "And I think I know just the way to do that. You both run in different directions. Let her shoot one blast of fire. Then, as the thing is drawing in air for a second blast, I'll fire some rocks into her throat. No more fire produced and problem solved."

"Do you really think you can launch a small boulder into the salamander's throat with that tiny gun of yours?" wondered Schala, a little doubtful.

"You'd be surprised what I can do with this gun of mine. It's not the size that matters, but how you use it," the soldier winked. Now it was Schala's turn to blush.

"Alright, Norris, it works for me," Leena said. "Not like we have any other options at this point. Just let us know when you're ready."

Norris bent down and rolled over a medium sized rock. He then placed it in exactly the right spot he needed it to be. Assuming his ready stance, the soldier began to charge energy into his firearm. When the weapon started to reach its peak capacity Norris told them what they wanted to hear. "Go."

The two women then began running in different directions. Once again, the salamander followed their every move. Norris brought out his "good-luck barrel" from his broken rifle and gave it a little kiss. 'Don't fail me now,' he thought.

The giant lizard finally decided that the two people moving around her lair had gone far enough. Taking in a gargantuan breath, she released her flames toward Leena. The villager hopped back to avoid being badly burnt. The creature then began to draw in the second breath.

'This is it!' thought Norris. 'Time to earn your stars, soldier!' The military man then released a gigantic ball of energy at the rock. The recoil made Norris grind his teeth together. However, his timing and aim were true. 'I truly am the Top Shot!'

The boulder sailed right into the salamander's throat just moments before she released her next bout of flames at Schala. The creature's eyes opened wide at this intrusion. Writhing in anger, the monster's shaking only further lodged the boulder into her gullet. The flames were no more.

"Come on you two!" called out Schala. The group hurried to the back of the cavern, making sure not to get next to the salamander's claws. The lizard was now whimpering in frustration.

"Who should we free?" Norris asked, before his eyes finally settled on Kid.

"Her, of course," replied Schala. She tapped on her missing piece's bubble. It dissolved away, leaving Kid coughing on the ground. The princess helped the thief to her feet.

"Something's wrong, though," Leena remarked. "The Chrono Cross isn't glowing and the new rift isn't forming."

"Maybe we're not finished here," Norris theorized. "Something else we have to do first?"

"I don't know," Leena said. She began to lean on the bubble closest to her. "I thought..."

"Leena, look!" Schala shouted, while pointing behind the villager. The bubble Leena had put her weight on started to crumble away. After all was done, a bewildered Miki emerged.

"What was that all about?" Leena wondered.

"Who cares?" responded Norris. "Two for the price of one! And I'm surrounded by beautiful ladies!"

"Hush!" Leena and Schala called out to the soldier in unison.

The Chrono Cross then began to glow. Behind them, the air shimmered. A new rift suddenly appeared and glowed a fierce green.

"Well, time to go," Leena said. "Don't worry, we'll fill you in on what's going on when we reach the next area." Everyone walked toward the door. Kid however, would not budge.

"Kid, we have to get out of here," Norris told the thief.

"No," Kid said, matter-of-factly. "I'm not goin' anywhere she goes." She nodded over toward Schala.

"Why not?" asked Miki, confused.

"I wish you no ill will," the princess added.

"Like bloody hell ya don't!" Kid countered.

"Whatever bad blood there is between you two, just put it aside for now," Norris mediated. "We'll figure it out later. There are more pressing matters at hand."

"Fine," Kid seethed. "Ya just stay away from me."

"I will not broach the subject until you are ready to talk," Schala conceded. "Let us just move on to the next stage of our journey."

The five then walked through the green rift. As soon as they were on the other side, the tunnel closed. In the cavern they left behind, six more forms began to stir.

**By: Daredevil3181**


	16. Treacherous Footing, Green Realm

The next realm in the sequence arrives, complete with its own path and guardian. This one doesn't rely on strength, but rather speed. Norris also makes another gaffe toward the end, but it might not be such a bad thing after all. Read on to find out!

* * *

Green Realm – Razzly (Green Champion)

The group stepped through the rift and entered a forested area. At a second glance, they realized that they were standing on a gigantic branch.  
  
"This must be the green area," said Leena.  
  
"I wonder what we will find here?" asked Norris. "If any of you ladies need anything, you can count on me."  
  
"Ha ha ha ha," laughed a high pitched voice. A small woman with a crown of leaves on her head appeared. She was wearing a sheer gown supported by two vines around her shoulders.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Leena.  
  
"I am the goddess Ganta. I rule over life and nature." Her voice sounded whimsical.  
  
"So what do we do here?" asked Norris, staring at Ganta's chest.  
  
"First of all, stop staring at me. It is not polite. You see over there?" Ganta pointed to the right.  
  
The group looked towards where Ganta had pointed. In the middle of the massive tree, around the trunk, was where the green innates were contained.  
  
"In this tree lives a squirrel. She is really mischievous. Ah, time is of the essence. It is almost time for me to go."  
  
"Don't we get a riddle?" asked Leena.  
  
"Of course, you do," laughed Ganta. "Speed is the asset, but also the downfall. Don't try to barge right through, play it cool, and the right path will emerge." With that the goddess disappeared.  
  
"Let uss travel using the branches," said Schala, who started walking along a branch. Suddenly a green blur zipped by her and the path vanished.  
  
"So that is why we cannot barge right through," said Leena. "We must play it cool so the path will emerge."  
  
Norris tried another path. "I am so cool, I can make it through," he said, right before the path changed. A nut hit him on the head. The squirrel paused and laughed at him before she started moving again.  
  
"Norris, quit trying to impress the ladies," said Schala. "We need to use our heads."  
  
"Is there any way to slow the squirrel down?" asked Miki.

"Well, speed is the asset, but also the downfall? The squirrel rearranges the path...." Leena pondered.  
  
"Does anyone have any ideas?" asked Schala.  
  
"I do," said Kid. "But I'm not telling ya."  
  
"Please. I do not wish to hurt you, Kid," said Schala. "Why do you hate me?"  
  
"Ya wanted to take my individuality away. I didn't want to merge with ya then and I still don't now." Kid stared at the branch as she talked, avoiding eye contact with Schala.  
  
"Do you really want Atikon to win, Kid?" asked Leena. "If you know the answer to the riddle, please tell us."  
  
"Fine. I'll tell ya. Ganta said to play it cool. Ya freeze the paths, and the bloody squirrel can't move them anymore," Kid said reluctantly, still looking at the branch she was standing on.  
  
"That is a brilliant idea, Kid," said Norris. "How about you and me...?"  
  
"I'll kick your arse, Norris, if you try anything," spat Kid.  
  
"Cast an ice spell," said Schala, who started chanting Iceblast.  
  
The squirrel ran past them trying to change the path, but the path wouldn't change and she slid past them.  
  
"Its working!" exclaimed Miki  
  
"Let's continue," said Leena, who cast Iceblast.  
  
The squirrel slipped even farther away. The ice was causing the squirrel to slide right by and the correct path to be frozen. The group walked along the revealed path, causing the squirrel to finally slip too much and fall off of the tree. Leena ran towards the bubbles containing the green innates.

"Good riddance to that nuisance," said Norris with a smile. "Now about choosing another companion..."  
  
"I know who to get," said Leena, who started looking in each of the bubbles.  
  
Norris wandered up to a bubble. "Wakey wakey!" he said as he tapped on the bubble. The bubble burst and Razzly popped out.  
  
"Where am I? Tee hee," asked Razzly.  
  
"Norris! I wanted to find Glenn," yelled Leena, who took out her frying pan and hit Norris on the head.

"Ouch, I just wanted a cute girl," said Norris.  
  
"The rift is open," said Schala. "We must hurry. Explain the situation to Razzly on the way there."  
  
"Thank you fairy much for rescuing me, tee hee," said Razzly.  
  
Leena just sighed and took the little sprite's hand as the party stepped through the rift that had opened. After they had left, 7 figures began to stir. 

**By: Alanna82**


	17. To Walk Among Waves, Blue Realm

Three realms down, three to go. Here the companions chat with Scyllor and have an encounter with a creature of the deep. After the riddle is solved, Norris has an intimate reunion with someone he had missed dearly. Love truly is blind, but it also has a way of leading one down the true path.

* * *

Blue Realm – Orlha (Blue Champion)

When Leena thought of the blue realm, of course she thought of water, like a lake or a river or something. Nothing could compare to what she now saw, though. The group was standing on a small beach, but they were standing beside an endless ocean. The sight was truly awesome and relaxing to the weary Schala.  
  
"It's beautiful," she noted. There was a sunset turning the gentle waters to liquid gold, and the waves were gentle, washing against the travelers' feet. They couldn't help but remove their shoes and take a moment to catch their breath and strategize, with the cool waters washing against their well-worn feet.  
  
"I wish we could stay here for a time, but we've got a mission to do," Leena said, to bring the princess back to reality. Schala nodded a bit sadly, and Leena couldn't help but feel sorry.  
  
"Aww, shucks," Miki frowned. She knew she had to leave, but just like Schala, she wanted to stay.  
  
Norris was explaining, through copious flirting, the situation to Miki.  
  
"All right. I thought it was weird to be here, but I'm with all of you. I'll help as best I can." She altered her costume a little, and walked over towards Kid. The thief shot aversive and angry looks towards Schala, who was holding her white shoes in her hand while splashing water playfully at Norris.  
  
"Are you alright, Kid?" Miki asked comfortingly.  
  
"Yeah, I just am not sure what to do, ya know," Kid responded quietly. This was the first time the dancer did not hear Kid with her boisterous attitude, and it made Kid seem gentler and quiet, just like, well, Schala herself.  
  
"Kid, I can't say I really know about yours and Schala's relationship. But I just want to tell you not to worry about it," Miki said, placing her hands on Kid's stiff shoulders.  
  
"Kid, we can't see into tomorrow," Leena said, looking in the distance and squinting, trying to make out something on the horizon. "We have no clue what will happen, but things always have a tendency to work out in the end. Take me, for instance. I'm just a village girl who wants to save her boyfriend, and here I am, champion of the gods themselves. The title of a champion doesn't interest me in the slightest; I just want to save Serge, yet I'll brave the evil Atikon's influence, the guardians of the realms, and even FATE itself to do just that. It's dangerous and I might lose my life, but I stand to lose so much more if they win. Does this help?"  
  
"Yeah, it does. Thanks, mate. Ya love him, don't you?" Kid asked, her sapphire eyes sparkling and even getting a little misty.  
  
"Yeah," Leena acknowledged. "It may be a little obvious, but my caring for him is more than what's on the surface."  
  
The figure Leena was looking at was getting bigger, so it was almost assuredly a person. When it came close enough to make out the details, the girls of the group were astounded.  
  
"So, it's a god. Guess Norris can't flirt," Kid cracked quietly, which caused Leena to snicker a bit. The god himself was a man with short blonde hair similar to Norris'. He was clad in an ocean blue robe that was sleeveless, showing off his muscular physique. He had an air of unmistakable intelligence and magic; his entire figure just smelled of enchantments. He was barefoot, yet he walked on top of the water as if it was dry land.  
  
"I am Scyllor." The god spoke in a voice that reminded the group of waves crashing against the cliffs. "I am the god of water and magic. I congratulate you, champion, traveler of dimensions, and allies; you have defeated half of the guardians."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Leena found herself staring and blushed a little, averting her gaze to hide her face, which was as red as Kid's blouse.  
  
"It is quite alright; I am quite used to this," Scyllor said comfortingly. That made Leena feel better, and she turned to face him.  
  
"Look out that way." Scyllor stretched out his hand, pointing a golden rod with a sapphire on the end towards the ocean.

"What's out 'dere, Scyllor?" Kid added boisterously. Norris smacked his hand to his head. Only Kid would belligerently talk to a god! Then again, Schala had wasted no time admonishing the soldier on flirting with the gods, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.  
  
"There is an island out there; an island with your friends. You must get to that island to continue," Scyllor said, bowing his head slightly at the end.  
  
"Well, we might be able to swim," Miki said. "Everyone can swim, right?" Kid, who had saved Serge from drowning once, Norris, who swam to keep in shape, and Leena, who grew up in a village where the sea was everything, nodded. Schala, however, looked a bit nervous, and Razzly shook her head and looked at the ground.  
  
"Well, I know a few things or other, but Zeal was in the sky. We were not knowledgeable when it came to this skill," Schala said.  
  
"Well maybe-hee..." Razzly giggled and moved towards the water, but she wasn't two feet out before a giant whale-like creature poked its head out of the water and nearly swallowed the little fairy whole. Kid, who had walked into the water as soon as Schala exited, grabbed the fairy by the cape and yanked her toward the shore. Both of them fell backward. The fairy was drenched, but she was still alive.  
  
"I should have anticipated that," Schala noted, her mouth pursed into a frown.

"That is the guardian of my realm. If you wish, I will give you my riddle," Scyllor said without emotion.  
  
"Please," Leena requested. The girls and Norris leaned in.  
  
"The endless sea is home to dry land. The answer lies where waves cannot crash, and where two halves do not make a whole. Best of luck to all of you." He turned around to go.  
  
"Sir Scyllor!" Leena called out to him.  
  
"Yes?" the god asked.  
  
"Why do we need to pick a blue champion? Can't I fulfill this duty?" Leena asked. Scyllor came up to her and held up his hand. Although he didn't touch her, Leena almost got the feeling of him stroking her cheek.  
  
"Listen to the voice in your heart. You will know when the time comes," he said kindly. Then he turned around and walked away, his feet barely touching the water. Leena could only stare in bewilderment at the god's parting comment.  
  
"So, the endless sea is home to dry land," Miki started. "Well, land is obviously the ground underneath, but it's not dry."  
  
"Perhaps we can create an air bubble?" Schala wondered.  
  
"That won't work," Norris said. "We'd still be submersed in the water, and the Leviathan could just body slam us, assuming the bubble even holds long enough considering the pressure of the water."  
  
"Two halves make a whole!" Kid shouted. "That part seems like a bloody waste o' time."  
  
"I do not think so, Kid," Schala said. "Two halves can make a whole, but if the two halves are not connected, then they do not."  
  
"Well, if the ocean had a dry path, then we'd have the dry land part," Miki said, sitting on the ground and hugging her knees. "But what could stop an ocean's waves from crashing?"  
  
Leena thought for a second more.  
  
"I think I have the answer," she said, walking towards the ocean. She stepped in the ocean, letting the water run over her bare feet, and clasped her hands together.  
  
"Leena?" Norris asked. Leena bowed her head slightly and shut her eyes. There was energy charging in her hands. A second later, Leena broke the clasp of her hands and spread her arms out in a "T". There was dark energy collecting around her hands, getting steadily bigger as the seconds passed. 

"Gravity spells! That is it! We can part the ocean with gravity!" Schala shouted. The gravity caused the wind to whip up; Leena's hair flew around her like a demon was living in the crimson tresses, her hair band scarcely holding it in place. The ocean itself rose up into the sky like a building, as if hailing their champion to create the path. Gradually. a line of sand began to emerge through the center of a raging sea.  
  
"We've got to help her!" Miki said, running towards Leena. The champion started to walk on the path, her hands still in a T-like formation, with gravity magic on each hand. Miki and Kid followed Leena, each of them facing one side of the ocean, and used their own gravity magic to help keep the raging sea at bay. Norris followed, carrying the unconscious Razzly, who had fainted ever since the fish tried to eat her. He cradled the small thing in one arm, keeping a gravity spell ready in his mind in case something went wrong. Bringing up the rear was Schala, magic flaring from her hands in rivulets, stopping the ocean from merging a third time. The group walked in the fissure, which was surprisingly cold and windy considering the gentle warmth that was present before.  
  
They walked until the island became visible, and soon they were on its briny shores. The magic stopped and the ocean came together. Leena, quite exhausted, sat down to rest for a moment while Norris went over to the bubbles.  
  
"Are we gonna let him pick again?" Kid asked. Miki grabbed Norris by the ear.  
  
"Pick Orlha," she commanded.  
  
"That's who I was planning on picking," Norris said, touching the bubble around Orlha's body. He extended his arm towards her and helped the beautiful barmaid to her feet. Feeling a little disoriented but all right, the rest of the group sat down to rest and regain their energy used in keeping those gravity spells up for so long.  
  
"I heard you killed Lynx for me. I heard from Miki," Norris said. The two of them were far enough away from the group so that they were more or less alone.  
  
"Yeah, but that bastard Atikon got me," Orlha said. Norris moved a stray tress from Orlha's hair out of her eyes.  
  
"You...avenged me, though. I'm honored," he said. Orlha then faked a trip to hug Norris. She did this just in case Razzly was watching. The fairy was too young to see something like this.  
  
"You really..." Norris started, but he let Orlha hug in him in silence for a while longer.  
  
He missed not having her around too.

**By: Matt620**


	18. To Cheat Death, Black Realm

With the re-introduction of Orlha, hopefully Norris' urges will be better kept in line. Then again, the solider is surrounded by beautiful women, so you can't fault him too much for his actions. She might have surrendured once, but don't expect a repeat performance of that now; everyone's favorite jester joins the party once again. After this the companions only have one realm left to travel through. The journey to get there, however, will prove just as dangerous as ever.

* * *

Black Realm – Harle (Black Champion)

The black rift opened and the seven travelers stepped out. They took a minute to take in their new surroundings. For one thing, the black realm was a much dryer place than the blue realm. There wasn't even any water in sight. There was plenty of gray sky in sight, but the ground was not visible. Miki was standing on the edge of a mountainside, peering down. With a nervous sigh, she stood up straight, turned around, and looked at the others' faces.  
  
"It's a looong way down," Miki informed with a frown. Her six companions mirrored her facial expression and hugged the mountain face. The rift had opened on a narrow mountain ledge, fifteen feet from a deadly drop. The sun hung in the sky on the opposite side of the peak, casting a shadow over the seven companions. However, it was a cloudy day so the shadow wasn't very noticeable. The uneven rocky mountain face was full of cracks and small crevices. The color of the rock was tinted to a dark gray.  
  
"You understand everything?" Norris asked. He had just finished explaining the situation to Orlha.  
  
Orlha nodded. "Yeah, I got all that. One of the gods is supposed to welcome us, right?"  
  
"Yes," Leena answered. "So far, a god has spoken to us every time we entered a new realm."  
  
"I wonder-hee where the next god is?" Razzly contemplated.  
  
"And where are the sleeping black innates?" Schala questioned as she scanned the horizon.  
  
"You people ask too many questions!" a foreign voice exclaimed. All eyes wandered in every direction in search of the voice's source with no luck. "Up here, mortals!" the voice called out again. They looked in the direction they least expected and found the voice. It belonged to a voluptuous woman, much to Norris' delight. She was floating in the air above them and gradually drifted down to their level, just past the cliff edge. Norris found himself staring at her shapely body, which was wrapped in a pitch black robe that dangled past her feet. The wind blew from her left, showing off the woman's curves through the robe. That same wind also blew her waist length ebony hair to magnify her striking presence. All in all, she was damn sexy and Norris couldn't agree more.

Leena and Orlha stood on either side of the soldier and took notice of his drooling. Simultaneously, they stomped on Norris' boots, which produced an "Ow!" from the military man.  
  
Knocked out of his trance, he looked at his assailants with a show of surprise, but only received a "Hush!" from the two. With a huff, he faced the front and returned his eyes to the floating beauty before them. This time he kept his eyes on her face.  
  
"You must be the goddess of this realm," Schala observed.  
  
"Silence, foolish girl! I will introduce myself!" the woman snapped. Schala blushed a little at the outburst directed in her direction but didn't lose her resolve. "I am the goddess of death and darkness, Kylin! You are in my realm now, mortals!" Kylin laughed wickedly. The echoes chilled the mortals to their bones.  
  
'Not exactly a welcome...' thought Orlha.  
  
The goddess ceased her laughter and continued. "My realm is full of death so it is naturally a dangerous place. There is little life living in these hostile conditions. The majority of the living population in this realm are your slumbering friends."  
  
"Where are they?" Leena spoke up.  
  
Kylin's wicked laughter returned. "You will love this next part. Look over there." The goddess pointed to their left. They cautiously crept to the left side of the ledge in a single-file line. The ledge rapidly decreased in width until it was only a foot wide. They were forced to slowly shuffle sideways with their backs leaning against the wall. Kid, who was at the head of the line, could see a large pile of dead tree branches as she made it around the curve. The tree branches were tangled roughly into the shape of a bowl. "That is a nest," Kylin explained. "Your friends are inside, protected from the rot of this place by their bubbles."  
  
"Everybody hold hands!" Schala ordered.  
  
"And don't look down!" Leena added, struggling to take her own advice. Suddenly, a piercing croak echoed through the realm, startling the shufflers out of their comfort. Hearts pounding, they stopped all of their movements to steady their nerves.  
  
"Oi! What was that?!" Kid cried out.  
  
"Oh, that was just my pet raven," the goddess of death explained casually. "She is very protective of her babies and constantly guards her nest. She will not hesitate to attack anything that approaches it, excluding me, of course," she smiled devilishly. "Oh! Here she comes now. You should watch out."  
  
The shrieking croak was sounded again, only louder this time. The raven circled overhead. The black-plumed bird had her enormous wings stretched out as it glided on the air currents. She had a wedge shaped tail and a sharp, thick beak. When the sun shone on the raven, her plumage appeared violet. She brought her wings in and fell into a dive. As she picked up speed, she began to spin into a barrel roll and aimed herself at the seven people stuck on the mountainside.  
  
The group desperately tried to slide back to their ledge before the raven could reach them. All of them made it back with the exception of Kid, who was the farthest out. The raven stopped her spin and flew by the narrow passageway in an attempt to blow the thief off. The gust of wind knocked the small frame of Kid off balance and she swayed as she strived to keep her feet firm on the ground. Much to her horror, her efforts failed and she began to lean over the edge. In the terror of the moment, she could not hear the frantic voices of her friends, nor could she feel the hand grab onto her shirt. With a mighty pull, the thief was dragged back onto level ground.

Kid laid on her back with her hands clutching the necklace lying on her chest. 'That was close...it almost activated...' she thought. Kid glanced up and saw Schala bent over her with an equally terrified expression on her face. "Ya...saved me..." the thief breathed.  
  
"Yes...I had to Kid," Schala smiled, catching her breath. "I could not let anything happen to someone so dear to me. I have not been searching for you through every corner of the universe just for the fun of it, Kid."  
  
Kid was speechless.  
  
"Now do you understand that I mean you no harm? I speak the truth when I say that we are the same. We need each other to be whole, Kid!" Schala was holding onto Kid's shoulders.  
  
Kid looked deep within the princess' eyes, searching for the truth, but all she could see was herself staring back. She was uncomfortable with this and sat up. "Thanks for savin' me, Schala. I won't forget it," Kid said warmly.  
  
Schala smiled back, appreciative of Kid's reaction. "It was no problem, Kid. I would do it again in a heartbeat."  
  
"My, how touching!" Kylin sneered. "So, do you like my pet? She certainly is fond of you!"  
  
"How do we get past her?" Orlha asked.  
  
"I am not going to just give it away! You will have to figure it out on your own. This is your lucky day, however. I will give you a hint. I am only saying it one time, so open up your ears! The bird can see for miles around. It keeps track of everything, especially that which shines brightest of all. You must be bright to get the prize. Have fun, now! Ta ta!" Kylin flew up out of sight with the same wicked laugh.  
  
"I'm kind of glad she is gone-hee," Razzly remarked. The fairy found the goddess intimidating.  
  
Norris approached the narrow passageway again. "Let me try something..."  
  
"Norris! What are you doing? Get away from there!" Orlha scolded.  
  
The soldier peeked over the corner and saw the raven circling aloft. She brought her wings in again and dived towards Norris in a barrel roll. He quickly retreated to the others before the bird made her pass. "It's no good. We cannot reach our friends with that damn bird keeping watch," Norris concluded.  
  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious! We already knew that, you dingbat! You didn't have to be an idiot to prove that!" Miki berated.  
  
"I found out the enemy's attack pattern, Miki! What have you done, hmm?" Norris countered.

"Cut it out! Let's just figure out the riddle," Leena mediated. The others agreed and everyone put on their thinking caps. "We know that the raven has excellent eyesight. That much is evident, but what does the rest mean?"  
  
"The word bright seems to be significant," Orlha speculated. "What is bright?"  
  
"Fire!" Kid and Miki answered in unison.  
  
"That is it!" Schala exclaimed. The others could have sworn they saw a light bulb shine over her head. "Distract the raven with fire. Then we can make it safely across."  
  
"I'll provide the fire," Miki volunteered.  
  
"I have a lot of magic so I also volunteer. That should be enough fire power," Schala stated.  
  
The raven continued her circular pattern while keeping a close eye on the nest and the surrounding area. A popping sound caught her attention and she turned her head to see what happened. It was a small explosion and another one popped shortly after.  
  
Orlha led the group as they inched their way along the mountainside in a single-file line. Schala and Miki brought up the rear firing tiny fireballs one after another into the sky. Schala had her hand raised as she launched another fireball when a gust of wind blew and knocked her off balance. Kid, who was in front of the princess, grabbed onto her arm to steady her. "Why don't ya take a break? I'll fire some of my own elements," the thief offered.  
  
Schala smiled and accepted. "Thank you, Kid. That would help me a lot. Heights make me a little jittery,"  
  
Schala and Miki were the last to make it onto the wide ledge where the nest sat. "Let's wake up Harle. She definitely deserves to fight by our side," Leena proposed. The others assented.  
  
They quickly realized that their mission was not yet over when a shrieking croak rung in their ears. They all craned their necks to see the raven diving in another barrel roll straight at them. "Quick! Launch your fire elements at her!" Norris shouted.  
  
Miki, Kid, Schala, Razzly, Norris, and even Orlha and Leena fired their best fire spells at the oncoming bird. The flames combined into a massive orb of fire surrounding the raven. She broke out of her spin and the orb while beating her wings in a panic. Her whole body was aflame. In her effort to snuff out the blaze, she did not pay attention to her surroundings and smacked into the mountainside, high above her nest. Upon impact, a mass of lighted feathers scattered throughout the air in every direction and instantaneously turned to ash. It remarkably resembled a firework. The burning bird bounced and landed on a ledge less than 50 feet above the nest, where it laid motionless as it incinerated.  
  
While the rest celebrated, Leena stepped into the nest and approached a black tinted bubble. When she lightly placed her hands on the surface, it fizzled out, exposing the occupant. "Welcome back, Harle," Leena whispered.  
  
The jester opened her eyes and sat up. "Leena...It iz good to see vous once again. Vous must tell moi everyt'ing."  
  
"Of course, Harle," Leena assured, smiling at the fact that Harle no longer referred to her using formalities. "It hasn't been long since we parted, but a lot has happened. We can save Serge together after all." The champion helped the jester to her feet.  
  
"I am very glad to hear zat, Leena," Harle said as a rift opened beside them. "What iz zat? It appearz to be a gateway into another part of reality!"  
  
"That's exactly what it is," Leena explained. "It's time for us to leave this dreadful place."  
  
The party of eight entered the white rift, unaware of the five bubbles that fizzled out behind them...

**By: TenkoStar17**


	19. Second Chances, White Realm

This realm story, while longer than the others, fleshes out the relationship between Schala and Kid, setting it up for a shocking conclusion. Also, Leena makes a startling discovery about herself, which both intrigues and appals her. Finally, read on as an unexpected hero is offered another chance to walk the path true to his heart, as it is made clear that none of our sins will ever fully condemn us so long as we have forgiveness in our hearts.

* * *

White Realm – Doc (White Champion)

The eight companions stepped through the white rift without hesitation. All except one seemed to be familiar with the routine and the jester trusted her friends enough to follow them to the end of reality and back. As Leena put her foot down on the rocky pathway that materialized in front of her, she couldn't help but to gasp.  
  
"What is this place?" Schala asked, echoing the village maiden's thoughts exactly.  
  
"I think that Chrono Cross artifact you have there is defective," Norris said. "It spit us right back where we just were. Here, let me take a look at it. Maybe I could make a few adjustments..."  
  
"You will do no such thing," Schala cried, clutching the emblem of healing and power tight against her breast.  
  
"Try it again," offered Kid. "Maybe it needs a second time or something."  
  
Harle walked over to the group alongside Miki. The two had been talking and the dancer had successfully explained everything to the harlequin.  
  
"I still smell ze stench of death," Harle remarked.  
  
"Alright, I shall attempt to use the Cross again," the princess announced. Schala huddled in concentration as her eyes were squinted shut. She infused all of the magic power she could into the item, but it was for naught. Another rift would not form. The group was stuck.  
  
"Just wonderful," sighed Kid. "And just when I thought I'd get to go home again..."  
  
Razzly, who had long been quiet, made her musical voice heard at that moment and asked, "Who's that-hee?"  
  
Seven heads simultaneously turned in the direction the sprite was pointing. Nestled against a large rock outcropping was a figure none of them had seen previously. There was some type of robe over this person, but at the same time everyone knew that this was not out of deception. The form seemed to radiate forgiveness and compassion.  
  
"I didn't see him before," Leena said, a little shocked. "But whoever he is, maybe he can help us out. You all wait here. I'm going to head over to ask." The villager then plodded down the path toward the hooded person.  
  
"Excuse me, my friends and I appear to be lost. Do you think you could..." Leena started.  
  
"Shhh..." interrupted the figure, in delicate tones. "Just watch."  
  
The girl from Arni had no idea as to what this cloaked person was talking about. 'Watch what? There's nothing here but death and decay,' Leena thought. 'I don't think...' The world then began to shift right in front of her eyes, causing her to simply watch in fascination.  
  
It was a subtle shift at first, starting with the skies above. The overhanging clouds parted, to allow beams of soothing sunshine through. Everything seemed to fill up with color and life again. Plants sprouted. Animals chittered. Laughter was heard in the distance.  
  
Leena was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. She thought it was done, but a wail above proved her suspicions wrong. Craning her neck to get a fix on where the sound was originating from, she focused in on the raven's ashes. They were swirling around now, mixing, reforming. Finally, a new form emerged that was quite different from the previous menace.  
  
A majestic billy goat pranced around the ledges. Every step the animal took gradually reshaped the mountain. The monolith began to rise even higher into the air. The walls became sheer and snow appeared on the top. All the excitement eventually leveled off and the goat took a look around his surroundings, appeared pleased with what he saw, and let out a cry of joy. He then bounded up to the top of the towering peak.

"No matter how many times I see it, I am simply enthralled by the majestic beauty that is the cycle of life renewing itself," smiled the figure. The person then dropped the hood of the cloak to reveal a very handsome face with bronzed skin and short blonde hair. His eyes had nothing but love and empathy within their depths. "Sorry I did not introduce myself earlier. My name is Pallad. I am the god of light and rebirth. Welcome to my realm."  
  
Leena slowly shook her head from side to side, attempting to wash the stupor out of her eyes. With a wave of her hand, she motioned for the rest of her companions to join her in talking to the god. Pallad looked on patiently, a smile on his lips, as the group filed over. When everyone was situated and quiet, the god deemed it the right time to begin anew.  
  
Pallad surveyed everyone very thoroughly and then began. "As I was informing your champion, you are now in my realm. The miracles of life can be astounding and humble even the grandest of beings. Unfortunately, you do not have the luxury of lounging around here for any extended period of time. Your friends are waiting and it would be inconsiderate of us to keep them any longer."  
  
"Ummm...Mr. Pallad, sir," Norris piped in. For some inexplicable reason the soldier discovered that he was unwilling to address this god with anything other than his utmost respect. "Where exactly are our other friends...sir?"  
  
"They reside at the highest point of that mountain," replied Pallad, as he pointed to the snow-capped peak. "You might have noticed a goat wandering around that area as well. He is very trustworthy and protecting of those most dear to my alignment. A fierce and devoted guardian, to be sure."  
  
"Surely there must be a way around him, your holy," Schala voiced, an inquisitive look in her eyes. "One such as yourself would not be apt to point us in the direction of the goal only to dash our hopes against the ground."  
  
"Too true, fair princess from beyond," chuckled Pallad. "I shall divest myself of the riddle I now hold. A perilous climb awaits your fall. Keep your heads held high and reach to the sky above. Compassion holds the key."  
  
"Great, Pallad-hee," chimed Razzly. "Don't go just yet. I have something-hee to ask you."  
  
"What is it my child?" the god wondered, as he prepared himself for his departure.  
  
"Will it ever be-hee the same again? The planet and others like it need-hee our help. I can just feel it," said the fairy, a pained look on her face.  
  
"Do not worry little one," Pallad answered. "The journey will be an arduous one, but if you keep your resolve and hold on to the love you share with one another, there is nothing you cannot accomplish. And remember, things are more than they appear to be." At this last line, the god stared right at Leena. He then flashed his dazzling smile at all eight mortals and faded from sight.  
  
"Bugger," spat Kid, jarring the others back to reality. "Looks like we're gonna do some climbin'!" The thief proceeded to pull out a long nylon rope from one of the myriad of hidden pockets in her vest.  
  
"I don't think that rope will be enough to support all of us," said Leena, looking over the cord with an expression of doubt on her face.  
  
Kid laughed. "Well of course it ain't strong enough for all o' us to climb up. It'd be just for me and another."  
  
"Who do you think would be best suited to help you in the climb?" asked Orlha. "I was never too good with heights..."  
  
"This rope knows me," explained Kid, as she fingered the nylon gingerly. "So it'd be best to get someone like me too. My other half would probably take right to it, too."

"Me?" asked Schala, a disbelieving expression etched on her face. "I do not even know how to use that device."  
  
"Sure ya do," said Kid, sliding over to the princess. "Just put it in yer hands and feel it for what it is. If it don't talk to ya, then I'll find someone else. But give it a shot first."  
  
"Well, if you insist," Schala conceded, as she took the nylon rope from the thief. The princess ran her hands up and down the taut cord, getting a feel for its texture and shape. The more she touched the rope, the more familiar it became, as if awakening long dormant memories inside her head. Schala then snapped her eyes open.  
  
"I shall do it," the princess said, resolve in her voice.  
  
"I knew ya would come through," smiled Kid. "Now let's get this show on the road!"  
  
The eight friends moved over toward the base of the mountain. All the while the goat was snorting into the air. With a nod to Schala, Kid threw her rope around a protruding ledge. Securing the rope in place, the two women readied themselves for their ascent. They were about to take off when all of a sudden a rock crashed into the ground just mere feet from where they stood.  
  
"What the?!?" yelled Kid, looking around to make sure everyone was uninjured.  
  
"It's the goat," said Miki. The others followed the dancer's gaze to the top of the mountain, where they could barely make out the goat. He was snorting and hopping around wildly. Poised on the ledge were rows upon rows of large boulders.  
  
"This doesn't look good," said Norris, as he tried to count how many rocks there were with little success. "Maybe if we all went up..."  
  
"No," Orlha cut the soldier off. "That won't do us any good. All of us would be exposed like that."  
  
"Ze answer liez in ze riddle," Harle observed. "Let moi try somet'ing. Kid, vous and mademoiselle Schala pretend to begin climbing again. Leave ze rest to moi."  
  
Not understanding exactly what the jester had in mind, the thief and the princess began their climb once again. Just like before, the goat knocked a boulder in their direction. As is sailed down at them, another rock arced out of the sky above. Right before any damage could be dealt, the two stones collided with one another. In a shower of dust, the danger of the boulder was no more.  
  
"Zat iz just like I t'ought!" exclaimed Harle. "Ze air above holdz ze key. Call down ze space rockz and ze ot'er rockz will be no more!"  
  
"It's settled then," Leena said, authority in her voice. "Schala and Kid climb. We offer them the cover they need. Use everything at your disposal. This very well might be the final stretch of our latest adventure."  
  
The group began to busy themselves with readying their element grids with spells that were geared to helping the climbers reach the safe haven at the top. People were swapping gear around left and right. Leena was ensuring she had the exact mix of what she wanted to cast. She noticed there was one space open, though. Harle observed the village maiden's dilemma and pulled her aside.  
  
"Here, use zis," the jester instructed, as she thrust something into Leena's hands. "It will be great to uze in a pinch."  
  
"Thanks, Harle," Leena said, not even bothering to look at what the spell was as she threw it into her repertoire.  
  
"My pleazure, Leena," the harlequin smiled. "I sense vous 'ave opened new pathwayz for yourself. Vous may not know ze door iz open yet, but vous will zoon." Not knowing how to interpret this comment, the villager merely smiled and nodded at her friend. In another few minutes everyone was ready.  
  
"Here we go," whispered Schala as she clutched the cord tightly. "Wish us the best of luck."  
  
"Not like we'll need it with me in the lead!" laughed Kid. Rearing back her legs, the thief dove right into her climbing. Schala began following closely behind.

True to form, the goat hurled boulder after boulder at the two climbers. Between the constant calling of meteorites and the charged shots from Norris' gun, there was no imminent danger from the rocks. The climbers reached the halfway point unscathed. So far the plan had worked perfectly.  
  
The climb was a very long one and it took a good deal of effort and concentration to keep the continual onslaught at bay. One by one, the support group began to exhaust themselves out of the fray. First, Orlha tired from her casting. Next, Miki decided she was spent. The strain even became too much for Harle, as she was not accustomed to releasing so many spells of her opposite alignment. As Kid and Schala reached the three quarters mark, only Norris, Leena, and Razzly remained to defend them.  
  
Feeling threatened, the goat began to create rockslides now in addition to knocking down the boulders. Norris was picking debris off left and right and had now added a telescoping lens to his gun for a better view. Razzly's wand was a blur of motion as she had to counter almost everything in sight. Leena tried to keep herself cool and in control, although the edges of panic were beginning to creep up on the villager.  
  
Suddenly, Kid slipped off the mountain face. Schala clung to the rock wall very tightly and was able to stop the pair from falling any further. They could not maneuver out of the way of any danger, though. The duo was now completely vulnerable.  
  
The goat saw this and sent three huge rockslides their way. Razzly worked with a fervor to neutralize the closest one. It exploded in a shower of white glitter. The strain had been too much for the diminutive sprite, though. She collapsed to the ground, leaving Norris and Leena as the only two defenders left.  
  
Norris had been charging his gun with a colossal burst of energy. When the soldier finally deemed it sufficient, he let loose with a terrific blast. The second rockslide was no match for the soldier's raw firepower. Success came at a price, though.  
  
"Leena, I don't have enough time to charge up again!" the military man called out. "This last one is all yours!"  
  
The girl from Arni narrowed her eyes at the approaching doom that was charging at Kid and Schala. It was only a speck in the distance, but Leena wasn't going to let that stop her. From the looks of things she knew this was the biggest and most dangerous of the three rockslides and she needed to act fast. She summoned some meteorites, but it only served to thin out the mass. Next, she called down a few meteor showers. They made an impact but could not fully neutralize the threat. Kid and Schala just stared at the last thing either of them would ever see.  
  
'I can't do this!' Leena screamed to herself. 'They were all depending on me but I let them down! I'm no champion...I'm just a stupid love-struck little girl who has bitten off more than she can chew! And now Kid and Schala...I just can't...'  
  
A voice then entered Leena's mind. It belonged to Harle. 'It will be great to uze in a pinch...' the jester sounded off. Leena remembered Harle had given her an element in her grid for an emergency situation. Now seemed to be the best time to use it. Not even considering it could be deleterious to her or others, the villager cast the spell.  
  
Huddled together, the two women could see the rocks bearing down on them. An acrid taste of dust entered their throats. Both braced for impact. Nothing came, though, as a huge black hole appeared mere inches away from them. It swallowed the entirety of the rockslide and then disappeared just as quick. Not questioning good fortune, the climbers continued their ascent once again.  
  
Meanwhile, Leena was staring at herself in shock, as were her friends. Everyone had seen what the villager had done, but no one could comprehend it. Except for one. The jester smiled with a weak grin, happy that her intuition paid off.

"What have I become?" Leena asked to no one in particular. Her hands were still outstretched in a frozen spell-casting motion. She looked at her fingers in disgust and horror as she slowly allowed her arms to drop.  
  
The climbers reached the top just then. They had braved the mountain but the danger was not gone. The goat was still there and he was angry at having been foiled so easily.  
  
"Kid, we must subdue him now!" Schala exclaimed. "If we give him a chance to..."  
  
The princess' command was interrupted by one last rockslide that shot their way. It was heading straight for the thief. Schala had barely enough time to act. She shoved Kid aside. Startled, Kid looked back, only to see her other half buried in the attack meant for her.  
  
"No!!!" Kid screamed, tears welling in her eyes. She hurriedly dug through the pile, trying to free her companion. Parts of her nails began to chip away as the pile became smaller and smaller. Finally, Kid came to the unmoving body of Schala. She cradled the princess' head against her, noticing trails of blood on the rocks surrounding the two. Whether it was from Schala or Kid, the thief cared not.  
  
The goat snorted behind the two. As Kid slowly turned her head to face the creature, there was nothing but pain in her eyes. The girl opened her mouth to speak, nothing but compassion and raw emotion in her voice.  
  
"How could ya?!" Kid blurted. "All we wanted to do was help! And then ya had to kill her!" The goat appeared to hang his head in shame.  
  
"We wanted to reach our friends..." Kid sniffled. "But not at this price! It's just not fair!" The goat then looked up at the two of them. Kid couldn't be certain, but she could have almost sworn there was a tear in the creature's eye.  
  
Schala suddenly glowed with a white light. Her limp body rose out of the premature grave and began to float in the air. With a surge of power, her heart began pumping once again. Breath entered her lungs. She blinked her eyes, once more a part of the world of the living.  
  
The goat was not finished, however. He enveloped the two women, himself, and the five slumbering forms he had guarded with a white light. Before anyone knew what was happening, the motley crew had joined up with the group of defenders once again.  
  
"What the hell?" asked Norris, as the forms materialized right in front of him. "Weren't you all up on the peak just a moment before?"  
  
With a snort the goat caught everyone's attention.  
  
"I think he wishes for one of our friends to be freed," observed Schala.  
  
"Oh, then we should definitely free Riddel!" Miki piped in. "Her magic would be invaluable and..."  
  
"Hold it!" Orlha yelled. Everyone looked over at the barmaid. "I have a request, Leena. Will you hear me out?"  
  
"Yes, Orlha, what is it?" asked Leena.  
  
"I owe a favor to a friend," she said, sadness in her voice. "I had once strayed from the correct path long ago. It took a true friend to see this and help me to come to terms with my inner demons. I would now like to do the same for him."  
  
"Zis iz an area of zecond chances," observed Harle. "I t'ink Orlha 'as a point."  
  
"It's fine with me, Orlha," agreed Leena. "Just do what you think is right."

Pigtails flapping in the wind, Orlha looked at each of the frozen forms. There was Riddel, an extremely powerful magic user and someone that Orlha had grown to trust over these past few weeks. Next she saw Steena, a village chieftain and a woman who commanded tremendous powers through her Dragon Emblem. She then gazed upon Starky, an alien from the deepest reaches of space who could be more perceptive than any human she had ever met. Pip was even there too, once again in his angel form, as if the furball had asked for forgiveness for his more recent actions and been granted it. Finally, Orlha saw the man she owed her life to.  
  
A few quick taps on the bubble and it slithered away from its occupant. Blinking his eyes rapidly, the physician scratched at his mane of hair and yawned. Orlha then helped Doc to his feet as the other four bubbles vanished into the air.  
  
"Whoa," Doc said, trying to take everything in at once. "That was some weird dream I had, dude. No more hard stuff for me! I think I'm going to try the clean and straight path for now!" Orlha just smiled at him before wrapping her long-time friend in a great big bear hug.  
  
Kid and Schala were huddled off to the side of the rest of the group.  
  
"Back when ya died," Kid said, "I finally knew why ya spent all that time lookin' for me."  
  
"And why was that?" asked Schala, understanding in her eyes.  
  
"I'm the only family ya got left. Even if we are the same person. I never had a true sister or mother before. Now I have both."  
  
"Then why did you run away from me after I wished to merge with you?"  
  
"I dunno...I was scared, ya know? I kept thinkin' that by joinin' up with ya I would forget who I was. Lose my individuality."  
  
"And now what do you believe?"  
  
"Ya need me just as much as I need you."  
  
"Does this mean you have come to a decision?"  
  
"Yeah," Kid sighed. "But can I have just a little more time as me? There was always somethin' I wanted to do."  
  
"And what is that?" inquired Schala.  
  
"I can't tell ya just yet, but ya'll see soon enough!" Kid winked.  
  
"Hey!" yelled Leena. "Could you activate the Chrono Cross already? I think it's time we show Lynx that he has no right to mess with us!"  
  
"Very well, Leena," Schala replied. The princess closed her eyes and held out the relic. No matter how hard she tried no more rifts would form.  
  
"What gives..." began Norris. Suddenly his eyes bulged out of his skull as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Kid was behind him, grabbing the elastic band of his underwear.  
  
"Wedgie!" she shouted.  
  
"I would feel bad, but he kinda had that coming," Miki chuckled.  
  
"Awww, come here, baby," Orlha said, as she reached out her arms to console her beau. "Anything damaged?"  
  
"Nothing but my pride," Norris wheezed.  
  
"You truly are devious," Schala said, as Kid ambled back over to her. "Have you done all that you wanted to?"  
  
"Pretty much," replied Kid, still laughing.  
  
"Zis ztill does not explain why we can't go on," glared Harle. A figure then appeared next to her. She jumped back with a start as she realized who this person was.  
  
"Trutin!" Leena exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, great champion," Trutin responded.  
  
"Why can't we go to the next place?" she asked.

"There are still a few things that need to be done here," the supreme being answered, as it looked toward Kid and Schala. "I have come to tell you to rest a little. Your journey is almost over, but the last few parts will be very difficult indeed. Gather your strength while you can. Use this when you are ready." A key then materialized in Trutin's hand and the being placed the object on a nearby rock.  
  
"Just one more thing," Leena pleaded.  
  
"Yes?" the immortal asked.  
  
"I was able to use an element that I was never able to access before. It felt weird but also kind of right. How is that possible?" Leena wondered.  
  
"You are not Scyllor's champion," Trutin replied. "You are mine."  
  
A huge door then appeared in front of the supreme being. Trutin entered the doorway and looked back at the nine people huddled around the clearing. The supreme being smiled at the balance it saw. Trutin's form disappeared from view as the door closed behind. The portal began to shrink down to nothingness but halted just before vanishing completely. Suspended in midair, a keyhole remained.

**By: Daredevil3181**


	20. A Campfire Chat, Ending Part 1

Well, our final story arc has begun, but don't expect to be boring. If anything, it's a dive into hearts and minds of all the characters that will end in an exhilarating conclusion. Originally the ending was separated into three parts along with an epilogue. Although I will post the epilogue all at once, I will further divide the ending up into more parts, to facilitate ease of reading. Everyone strengthens their resolve in this piece and Schala and Kid realize what must be done. Read on and don't be afraid to immerse yourself, as I can assure you it will be time well spent.

* * *

Ending Part 1

"Sir Trutin..." Leena said, smoothing out the folds and creases of her dress. Fashion was not high on her priorities, especially not now because of how desperate the situation was with the world in the balance, but she was so puzzled she was moving unconsciously. She didn't understand what he said, that he was her champion. What did that mean?  
  
But Leena was tired and the supreme lord of the universe had instructed her to rest and prepare herself. She placed the key on a flat rock and then sat on the ground.  
  
Nighttime was falling so Norris started a fire as the temperature started to fall. "We can't stay long, but let's rest and recuperate after shooting out all of those falling rocks," he said sternly. "I can speak only for myself, but I'm exhausted. And, dear girls, I think you must be tired as well." He looked directly at Leena, who had lines of fatigue crossing her face. Her face was flushed and her breathing was heavy.  
  
"I'm...I'm just a little shell-shocked," Leena said, using the term Norris used to describe someone who was startled and amazed. She didn't know how to feel about the element that she had used. It was an element that Harle and other similar to her could wield, one of darkness.  
  
"Leena, I t'ink I can explain what went on," Harle said. Leena smiled and looked towards the jester. The two women had defeated Atikon and were now very close friends, even if they hadn't known each other for very long.  
  
"I'm interested too," Miki said. "How could Leena use an element like that? I thought only people who drew on the power of darkness could use it."  
  
"When vous told moi about rescuing Mademoiselle Orlha from ze realm of ze ocean god, I t'ought it was odd. Why would we need a champion of ze blue magic if we 'ave Leena? Zen I realized zomet'ing."  
  
"What is it, Harle?" Schala asked. She was as intrigued as everyone else. Magic was one of her specialties yet the jester was speaking of something that the princess had never heard before. Schala leaned forward, her eyes reflecting a hungry curiosity that only certain knowledge could feed.  
  
"Ze answer must be zat Leena iz no longer ze champion of blue magic. Mademoiselle Orlha iz," Harle said, speaking as if she just had a revelation.

"What does that mean, Harle?" Leena asked. She had never heard of anything like this before.  
  
"Did Monsieur Trutin do anything to vous? Did 'e give anyt'ing to you, or zomet'ing like zat?" Harle asked.  
  
"Well, yes," Leena admitted. She took the Chrono Cross from Schala and held it up to the jester.  
  
"My wish granted me this," Leena said, looking intently at the item that would save the world.  
  
"Did 'e touch vous?"  
  
"Why, yes, he did. Only briefly, though. When he handed me the Chrono Cross, I touched his hand. But that hardly seems like..."  
  
"Zen zat iz ze answer. Because vous 'ave touched ze god of everyt'ing and not'ing, vous 'ave become 'iz champion," Harle explained. The rest of the group appeared lost.  
  
"I will try to explain it. Ze gods are powerful, non?" Harle asked.  
  
"Of...of course," Orlha responded, leaning against Norris' shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her body. The wind had picked up and this was an excuse for them to be physically close.  
  
"Ze godz can change ze fate of a person," Harle said.  
  
"I thought the gods-hee couldn't interfere directly-hee with mortals," Razzly said. She was sitting on Doc's knee and he was bouncing her a little in playful fun.  
  
"Directly, vous are correct. But ze godz are zo powerful, zey affect everyt'ing around zem indirectly. I t'ink zat when Monsieur Trutin touched Leena, she gained ze power of everyt'ing."  
  
"Everything?" Miki asked.  
  
"Or rather, I t'ink it removed ze limitationz on 'er magic. Vous can uze ze elementz zat ze rest of uz cannot."  
  
"Okay. I get it," Leena said. "So I can cast spells that I couldn't normally cast because a small bit of Trutin's power broke off into me. I don't think that means I could use something like the Chrono Cross, but I don't have to. Schala can..."  
  
"Yes," Schala affirmed, noting that Leena was trailing off. "Only certain people can use the Chrono Cross. Although Trutin is powerful, I would think he must directly interfere for Leena to use it."

"We've...we've come a long way, haven't we?" Leena mused, looking across the fire at the faces of her friends and allies. Looking at each of their faces, Leena couldn't help but feel something. She knew the fate of the world was behind the keyhole that Trutin had created. The group had rested enough; every one of them looked ready and anxious, just waiting for the go-ahead from their leader and champion: the brave and beautiful maiden with the auburn hair. However, Leena felt like she couldn't go just yet. She had to give each and every one of them a chance to build up the confidence to trudge on. Although she needed as much help as she could get, she couldn't let someone go into the dark unknown if they were afraid.  
  
Leena looked to her left at Harle, the enigmatic jester. There was much about her that Leena didn't know. She didn't know if Harle would serve the world or herself only.  
  
"Harle," Leena said, unsure of how to speak. "We're friends, right?"  
  
"I would like to t'ink zo. In fact, I would like to t'ink we are like zisterz," Harle said with a smile. "I never really 'ad a family."  
  
"I would too," Leena grinned. "You're my sister and steadfast friend. Beyond that door, it will be dangerous. I...I..."  
  
"I know what vous are going to zay, zo do not finish. I will zay zis. I 'ave never met anyone like vous, Leena. I told vous once zat I would give my life for vous. Zat promise 'as not expired and neit'er 'as it'z worth. Even if I were being zelfish, I would follow vous because I am zo very interested in ze way zis will end," Harle said, a tear almost forming in her eye. Leena smiled, tears welling in her own eyes, and hugged Harle tightly. She was foolish and stupid for having ever doubted Harle's bravery and heart. They were truly sisters.  
  
Leena then turned her gaze to Doc.  
  
"Doc, I want to know how you feel," Leena probed.  
  
"I owe everything to you all. I would never have had this second chance to change everything in my life for the better. I must repay you for this awesome bout of kindness. I won't stay behind; I'll go anywhere with this champion."  
  
"Thank you, Doc."  
  
"I am a fairy-hee," Razzly said. "I may-hee not be the fastest, or the strongest, or the toughest, but I'm here-hee. I would never be-hee able to forgive myself-hee if I gave into fear. I must go, for the world needs us now."  
  
"You're braver and stronger than you look, young Razzly," Norris said encouragingly. "And as for me, it is my duty as a soldier to defend and protect the weak and defenseless, no matter who or where they are. The planet itself may not be a person, but it is something living and breathing and it needs help. This is more than just my duty as a soldier. This is my duty as a denizen of the world and it is an honor and a privilege to save the world. I'm thrilled to make this the final battle."  
  
"Thank you, Sir Norris. I'm truly honored," Leena said. Norris put on a fake look of hurt.  
  
"I don't get to be the brother of the champion of the world?" he asked as a joke. Leena laughed. The mood was tense among the crowd and the joke helped them to break the severity of the moment. Leena expected Kid to be the one making cracks, though.  
  
"Yes, Norris, you could be called that, but is it necessary for you to be touching my hand like that?" Leena asked. Norris had clutched Leena's hand between his own, massaging it slightly. Although it felt rather nice, Orlha was sitting right there. She playfully slapped Norris upside the head.

"Orlha?" Leena inquired, her gaze moving to the barmaid. She had been in a sort of reverie until her fake fight with Norris, resting with her eyes barely open and her head on her beau's shoulder. She stood up and looked Leena in the eyes.  
  
"Leena, champion of gods and men, I know what you're going to ask, and I'll say this: I love this world, and I love its people. I may have lost those who are important to me: my parents and my sister Tia. But I have found so much more through those tragedies. I have found people who need me and people that I also need." She turned and looked towards Doc, and he nodded his head. He would have been nothing more then a wreck if it weren't for Orlha's cheerful support.  
  
"I wanted to do something wonderful with my life and I did that when I came here. I first thought I could curb a demi-human's ruthless ambition in the bowels of a volcano, only to realize that didn't work. I'm going to see this through to the end. With my...with my friends and my love!" She leaned against Norris' shoulder again and he started stroking her hair, pleased with the close contact. Leena turned towards the next person in line: the beautiful dancer, Miki.  
  
"I've come this far," Miki said. "Things could only get worse if Lynx gets what he wants. I don't know what I can do, but like Nikki said, 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' I may not be able to share this moment with him but he and all of our friends will be in our hearts. They will be the strength we draw from, and with that strength, not even FATE could hope to stand in our way. Uh-uh, I'm not going to stay behind; I'm going to fight."  
  
"Thank you," Leena said with her sincerest gratitude. Then she turned to Kid, who had stood up once Miki finished talking.  
  
"No, this ain't what ya think. I ain't runnin', 'specially not from that bastard Lynx and his grandiose plans. I'm gonna fight, but we can't do it separate, if ya know what I mean."  
  
"Then you will..." Schala started.  
  
"Yep, I'm gonna. I got no time to be holdin' on to me pride and me childish worries about losin' me individuality. Right now, it won't be matterin' if I was swallowed up completely. I ain't gonna let Lynx do whatever he damn well pleases."  
  
"Wow, Kid, that's a very mature thing to say," Miki praised.  
  
"I know. Schala, let's do this before I lose me cool," Kid said, holding out her hand to help the princess stand.

"Could all of you turn around for a second, please?" Schala asked the crowd, her eyes pleading. The group nodded and looked away. Leena felt a rush of wind from the direction of the girls but didn't look around, respecting both Kid and Schala enough to give them their privacy.

"Alright, it's done," came the voice that seemed to be both Kid's and Schala's at the same time. The group turned around, anxious to see what had happened. The figure was wearing Schala's white dress but the cape had been replaced by Kid's red blouse. Schala had worn her blonde hair down while Kid had hers up in braids. This new figure wore her hair in a ponytail, not as high and full of gaudy beads as Kid's but not impeccably neat and perfect like Schala's.  
  
"Kid?" Leena asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm Kid. However, I'm also Schala. And yet, I'm neither of them. My full name is Schala Kid Zeal. It's a relief that this went about without any problems."  
  
"Do you feel any different?" Orlha asked.  
  
"No, not really. Kid and Schala were equally dominant figures, therefore, I feel at the same time the politeness and pleasantness of the Princess of Zeal and the zest and gall of the leader of the Radical Dreamers. I'm both and neither; I'm simply myself."  
  
"What should we call you?" Leena asked.  
  
"Call me whichever you like. I've got two names and I'll answer to them both." The woman smiled cheerfully. Leena noticed that although the strong accent of Kid was not present, Kid's shortened speech and perky tone were. Schala was completely polite and never used contractions.  
  
"I think it's high time we opened that door to destiny," Norris said.  
  
"I think so too," Leena responded. The group stood up, Norris kicking dirt on the fire to put it out while Leena grabbed Trutin's glowing key and faced the keyhole.  
  
"Let's make this our final battle," Leena said. The rest of the group nodded.  
  
**By: Matt620**


	21. A Reunion and A Plan, Ending Part 2

This chapter finally answers the questions as to what happened to the other characters who were left behind in their realms. Also, many talks are in order and a plan is formed. From here the group splits up, each with a specific goal in mind. The stakes are high, but the reward is even greater, as all of reality hangs in the balance.

* * *

Ending Part 2

Leena felt bodiless and empty for a second, but when the dizzy feeling subsided she noticed that she was in a place she'd never seen before. It was a pantheon-type structure with six thrones in a circle facing one in the center.  
  
"Are you ready?" came a voice from the center throne. The figure of Trutin looked positively pleased to see everyone again.  
  
"Yes, sir," Leena said, bowing.  
  
"You do not need to bow. If anything, I should bow to you, for you are the hand that shall save this world."  
  
Although Leena did not like the prospect of correcting a god, she felt as though she had to say something else.  
  
"No sir, we are the hands," she said, indicating the figures behind her. Trutin chuckled and the laugh made Leena's heart jump to her throat. Was he pleased or angry?  
  
"You are quite right. Those people behind you are champions as well."  
  
"And they should be. A champion's true strength is that she never fights alone," came a voice that sounded like the crashing of an ocean. Scyllor had emerged from his throne as if it was a doorway.  
  
"Ha ha ha! The champions have come to the home of the gods!" a cheerful voice nearly screamed. It was the goddess, Ganta.  
  
"It is about time!" snapped the nasty voice of the goddess Kylin, her raven hair fluttering around.  
  
"Well, looks like it is about to end," Mephos said from his throne. He was shorter than the other gods, which made Razzly feel a little better. He may have been small but he still had power. That made the fairy believe that she could do it as well.  
  
"I am getting fired up!" came a shouting female voice that sounded like fire crackling away at dry wood. The beautiful Pyrika, Maiden of Fire, came out from her throne, a form fitting red dress dominating her figure.  
  
"Although I am sure that there will be death, that is part of the scheme of things," came the soft, friendly voice of the god of life, Pallad. 

"A gathering of gods and men," Norris noted.  
  
"Gods yes. But there are not enough men. You will need all the help you can get," Kylin said, waving her arms in a circular pattern in the sky.  
  
"Indeed," Scyllor confirmed. "Your friends and allies do not want you to face this alone." He raised his sapphire staff and a gateway opened beside him.  
  
"Sir Trutin?" Leena asked.  
  
"Just watch," the supreme deity commanded. The rest of the gods created portals of their own and figures started stepping through.  
  
"Riddel!" Norris shouted. He had been facing Pallad and the first person to step through the gateway was the beautiful Lady of Viper Manor.  
  
"Glenn!" Leena exclaimed. With sword in hand, the young knight was first through gate, taking it upon himself to make sure it was safe for the others to follow. More and more figures emerged from the gates until everyone who had come to the island of Perfidia, minus Serge and Lynx, were standing in the abode of the gods. Strangely, the room didn't feel crowded, despite the small nature of the place. It was designed for only seven gods, yet an infinite amount of mortals could occupy it without feeling cramped.  
  
"But sir, I don't understand..." Leena started. "I didn't know everyone was going to help me."  
  
"If we had told you everyone would be alright, who would you have picked as your champions?" Pyrika asked.  
  
"Would you not have picked people you were comfortable around? That is not always the best choice for a champion," Mephos added. Leena acknowledged the validity of this point.  
  
"Then why did we go through the realms and fight the guardians? Schala nearly died!" Miki demanded. She was a little upset that the gods were holding information.  
  
"You have every right to be angry," Pallad said, his tone softening her nerves until she was relaxed. "But we needed to test our champion. We needed to test her resolve, her spirit, her strength, and her wit. The champion, no, all of you champions, have performed superbly, better than we could have imagined."  
  
"You lose the pool, Pyrika!" Ganta shouted hysterically. The goddess of fire fluffed her hair and muttered a curse to herself but she wasn't really upset. Her bet was pathetic and now all the heroes were able-bodied and ready. The wager was meaningless and privately Pyrika was glad she lost.  
  
"So, tell me. What are we all gonna do?" Schala "Kid" Zeal asked.  
  
"I am afraid that is up to you, or rather, the champion, to decide," Trutin responded. He came over to Leena and surprisingly took her hand and kissed it.

"She's got a thing for you," Norris said as a joke.  
  
"She?" Leena wondered. She saw the supreme being of all and nothing as a young man. She knew Norris was a bit of a skirt-chaser, but to call the divine god a woman?  
  
"Yes, she. Miss Trutin is female, and a very attractive female at that," the soldier responded. He saw the being as the goddess Trutin, a beautiful brunette woman wearing a form fitting rainbow robe and sash that barely hid her breasts. She had legs that went all the way up. However, the sleeveless robe also showed trim and well defined muscles and her legs displayed as much strength as beauty. There was also another type of power, an energy Norris had never encountered before, in the entire figure of this woman, from her eyes to her feet. A quality that meant she was a person to be taken seriously. She was a beautiful woman with a seductive smile but she was not a woman to be crossed. Or betrayed.  
  
Leena, however, saw a youthful man with short brown hair. The rainbow robe was open at the chest but Leena could not pull herself away from his eyes. The eyes were the windows to the soul she heard. Leena didn't know if gods had souls but Trutin's firm gaze reflected a will of iron that neither the full fury of nature nor the strength of fierce men could deter. But smiles came easily to this god and the savagery of his spirit was matched only by his compassion and understanding. This man would have been the most dangerous enemy were he her oppressor, but here he was the greatest ally Leena could have ever hoped for.  
  
"Lady Leena, my champion. It is time for you to decide what to do. Lynx has not moved outside of Chronopolis, but from there he will attempt to merge FATE's soul, or mind, with the supercomputer's core. Lynx must be stopped and FATE must be destroyed."  
  
"I understand. I think I know what to do but I must make a plan."  
  
"Then let us know when you are ready."  
  
At Leena's bequest the Viper Manor devas, along with Glenn, Riddel, Radius, Viper, and Guile, came to the champion's side. The air was tense, the way it was before a large-scale battle. It was a tension that made the mouth taste like metal from nervousness and adrenaline; this was a battle they weren't sure they were going to win.  
  
"We must plan a strategy," Norris said. Viper nodded.  
  
"Let us also inspire the troops. Some of them feel divided into human and demi-humans. And some of them are scared. We do have children in our ranks as well as soldiers," Riddel said.  
  
"Yes, I think that we can inspire them, though. We must. If we fight divided, FATE has won," Glenn said. "Lady Leena, my sword is yours. What should I do?"  
  
"Let's plan a strategy first. By the way Trutin spoke, it sounds like FATE is split into at least two pieces," Guile said.  
  
"Let's first talk about the people. A strategy will do us little good if no one will follow it," Karsh replied. Marcy nodded, clutching her hands together. She, with a mermaid mother, was part demi-human, and although she felt accepted by humans, demi-humans were not so kind. She was sure that the demi-humans would not accept a human strategy.  
  
"A DEMI-HUMAN WOULD NOT ACCEPT A HUMAN STRATEGY OR LEADER AND VICE VERSA," Zoah responded, folding his massive arms across his chest as he echoed the younger girl's thoughts.  
  
"Who could lead this army?" Riddel asked, scratching her head in thought.

"Leena, you must be the champion," Guile answered. "I can sense your magical flow and abilities. You have power that even I could not hope to gain in my study of magic. The Champion of the gods should be the Champion of all races."  
  
"That is true, but the demi-humans..." Viper started.  
  
"We must cast aside these boundaries," Leena said with resolve.  
  
"Prejudice does not belong in the new world," Miki added. Razzly, who had been silent, nodded emphatically. She could get along with humans but they would need some help to convince the others.  
  
"Let us plan our strategy now," Glenn advised. "If it is sound, perhaps everyone will follow for the benefit of the world."  
  
"Yes, and there are many untold dangers in Chronopolis," Leena said. The group then broke down into strategic planning.  
  
"Alright, I would like everyone's attention!" Riddel shouted, using a spell to augment her voice. Everyone in the crowd, small children, normal people, and demi-humans, were focused on the group at the far end of the round pantheon. From right to left stood Riddel, Karsh, Guile, Leena, Viper, Glenn, and Norris.  
  
"We are about to combat a danger threatening our very existence," Riddel said, her hand firmly on her wand.  
  
"An untold evil, the supercomputer FATE, is about to be resurrected. If the process is allowed to complete the world as we know it will cease to exist," Glenn said, his stern eyes captivating the crowd.  
  
"We are fighting for something special," Norris said, pacing around but still keeping his eyes on the crowd of people. "We fight neither for land nor for bragging rights. We fight for something far more important. We fight for the power of will and our ability as denizens of the world to have the freedom of choice."  
  
"I look around here and I see a unified people of the world," Viper said, his tone carrying the voice of a man who had the experience of giving these types of speeches before. "I fail to see a demi-human and I fail to see a human. I see denizens of this planet and that is all we are. We are no longer from Guldove, Termina, Marbule, or any specific homeland. We are children of this earth and nothing more."  
  
"We have been given gifts from the planet and from time," Guile started, floating ever so slightly. "These gifts, granted by our precious earth, have been passed down through the generations. These are the gifts of life and thought. At long last, after millennia of evolution and selection, the planet bestowed these traits upon us. It's time we use these gifts for our mother earth to repay her for what she has given us."  
  
"Look around. I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming here. Here's to our victory and the resounding peace it will bring," Leena said, bowing her head. After a moment of silence she raised her head up, and in her eyes was a fire that burned with the will of the entire planet. She was no longer the wayward village girl daring to fight FATE to rescue her boyfriend. She was the Champion, the Leader of Worlds, and it was by the will of her heart that the world would be either saved or damned.  
  
"Ladies, gentleman, people of our world...TO WAR!" she shouted. A roar sounded from the crowd as weapons rose to the sky. Swords, axes, staves, and other fighting implements filled the air, as the din of the warriors of the world grew louder. There was no doubt in anyone's mind anymore; this was an army that was ready to fight, an army that would make no distinctions between its soldiers.

After the speech Leena sat down for a second. Trutin allowed her use of his throne while she rested.  
  
"Is it difficult to be the champion of the people?" Karsh asked her.  
  
"Yes," Leena affirmed. "I'm not used to such a thing. But that doesn't matter, does it? I will fight for the world and whatever power I have is a power I will use."  
  
"Vous truly are ze strongest woman, non, ze strongest person, zat I 'ave ever known, in more wayz zen one. I waz right not to stand in ze way," Harle's soft voice sounded behind Leena.  
  
"Harle...I think you're the strongest person I've ever met..." Leena started.  
  
"Pleaze, ma soeur," Harle said, using a term to affectionate their sisterly bond. "Zere iz no need to be a modest champion."  
  
"Agreed." Steena had come over to encourage the champion with Guile on her heels. Karsh left to discuss something with Riddel.  
  
"Lady Steena, Sir Guile," Leena said respectfully.  
  
"Milady Champion, we have thought of a plan and I wish to give you these," Guile said, holding out his hands. Leena picked up a set of charms, six in all. Each one of them was a necklace with a pendant in the center. One was a gold necklace with a symbol of a lightning bolt surrounded by a cloud of dust. The second was a silver chain with a picture of a haloed man smiling. Third came a platinum necklace with the symbol of a flame embedded in the metal. Next was a simple leather strap with a thin piece of iron attached. The iron had a symbol of a tree on it and its rustic design suggested that someone who revered nature made it. The fifth was a copper chain with the symbol of a snarling horned head; the sight of it almost made Leena look away in revulsion. The final one was made completely of black pearls, with the pressed onyx charm in the center depicting a single snowflake within a crashing wave.  
  
"What are these?"  
  
"Charms. Amulets of protection. Use them wisely. Also, for Lady Harle, take this." Guile handed Harle a small element. Leena could sense powerful magic about it simply by looking at the diminutive black sphere.  
  
"This is a powerful spell that will seal all magic in an area. It will only last for a limited time, though. Use it in conjunction with the amulets," Guile instructed.  
  
"This plan will assuredly work, for I have seen its effectiveness first-hand," Steena responded.  
  
"Thank you. I will use this plan," Leena said, glad that these two intelligent wizards were able to help her prepare for what was going to happen.  
  
"Leena," Harle said.  
  
"Yes, ma soeur?" Leena responded, tripping up a little on the language. Harle smiled.  
  
"Let uz zpeak to ze gods. We are ready."

"I want you to send all of them to Chronopolis, save the champions who came with me through your realms, Schala, and myself," Leena said to Trutin, not realizing she was giving orders to the supreme being. Kylin looked appalled at the lack of respect but Trutin was all grins. He knew she had a plan and that she had her confidence; a little lack of respect was nothing his dignity couldn't take.  
  
"Alright. What about you and your champions?" Scyllor asked.  
  
"We...we will move when the time is right. For now, we will stay here."  
  
"Impressive," Pyrika noted. She thought their plan was gutsy and daring, which of course made it amusing.  
  
"Would you like to place a bet?" Mephos asked.  
  
"Not the time!" Ganta said.  
  
"I think a bet is in order," Pallad said.  
  
"What are you blathering about?" Kylin asked. Only she would address the god of life without complete respect. That was because they were opposed. One couldn't exist without the other, so they could get under each other's skin without fear of retribution.  
  
"What I mean, simple and foolish woman," Pallad started, dropping all niceness as he addressed the raven-haired goddess, "is that we stake our very lives on their success." Such an insult Kylin would never allow to slide unless it was the blonde god of creation speaking.  
  
"How...interesting," Scyllor said with a smile.  
  
"Explain further," Pyrika demanded.  
  
"If Lynx revives FATE we will lose everything. It is not like walking as a mortal; our future would be a cold, restless oblivion. He will erase so much of us. You all have seen the Tesseract, dear friends. Could you imagine being stuck there forever: powerless and alone?"  
  
"How would he do that?" Mephos asked.  
  
"I thought..." Ganta started.  
  
"What he means is that Lynx will gain the power to change everything," Kylin said, now as serious as Pallad. "He could even change the past. He could unravel the time when we gained our power. Nothing is certain, but we all know firsthand that the power of FATE is near limitless. The Tesseract is where destroyed time goes and that is where we will be plunged, into darkness and silence, should the feline win."  
  
"Interesting. So the fate of the gods is dependent on the fate of man," Mephos said.  
  
"It has always been that way," Pyrika responded. "What good is godhood if there are no people to preside over?"  
  
"But the world has never had a battle like this." Scyllor was beaming; he had never been so excited and neither had the rest of the gods. Even Kylin was smiling, although her smile was strangely beautiful yet frightening.  
  
"I have never been so anticipative. I do not know how this is going to end," Pallad responded. "This is the most fun I have had in eons."  
  
"Yes!" Ganta shouted. "I will take it! I will bet my life that Trutin's champion wins!" She thrust her hand into the center of the circle of gods.  
  
"Same," Mephos responded, as he placed his hand on top of hers.  
  
"And me," Scyllor said.  
  
"I shall put down my chips," Kylin responded.  
  
"I proposed this bet and I too will bet my own," Pallad added.  
  
"Just because I answer last does not mean my answer will change. Count me in," Pyrika said. The six hands of the six elemental gods joined together in a bet that would change all of reality.  
  
"Trutin?" Scyllor asked. The being of all and none paused for a second.  
  
"You all know I am not one for betting games," Trutin responded.  
  
"Yes, we know. We do not care though! This is not for trifles like that!" Ganta shouted. Trutin chuckled. She had a point. He placed his hand on top of the group.  
  
"The bet has been made," Trutin said. "Mortals fighting mortals with the universe and the gods as the ante. I must say this is quite entertaining."

"I never knew the gods enjoyed to gamble," Leena mused.  
  
"That is why it is not forbidden," Pyrika said calmly.  
  
"Alright, we're ready!" Karsh called out.  
  
"Yes, we must move quickly," Riddel affirmed. "We will buy the Champion all the time we can."  
  
"But be careful," Leena said. "We must survive. All of us."  
  
"We'll do our best to keep ourselves out of trouble," Karsh said with a wink. He returned to the crowd and the six elemental gods started chanting. A bright white light enveloped the crowd, and as quickly as the light appeared, it vanished, taking the mass of people along with it.  
  
"Alright, Leena," Miki said, as she and the rest of her companions came over to Leena. "What do we do now?"  
  
"FATE's soul must be merged into something, correct?" Leena asked the supreme god.  
  
"Correct."  
  
"And one part is in Chronopolis?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Where is the other?"  
  
"You should remember the spot. It is very near where you originally found your body," Trutin returned.  
  
"Then that is where we will go," Leena decided.  
  
"You are very brave and bold," Trutin praised. He held out his hand to Leena and she noticed that he was holding the single piece of jewelry the deity wore. It had the appearance of a plain wedding ring, but its colors seemed to shift at the slightest breath of wind.  
  
"There is an ancient tradition among the inhabitants of your world," the diving being explained. "If I remember correctly, it was among a tribe of fierce warrior women. They would go to war with a favor from their King, who happened to be the only male of their tribe. Champion, the world is in your hands. No matter what, know that the people of the world, and the very gods themselves, pray for your success. This ring was made at the beginning of time. It has no real power but it is important to me because we as gods do not own many physical things. Take this ring from me, from the hand of a god, as a favor for this battle and as my blessing."  
  
"Although I have known you for your entire life, Lady Leena, I feel strangely enlightened to have met and spoken with you. I shall send you all off now and may Fortune smile upon you."  
  
Leena took the ring and slipped it on, curtseying appropriately to the god. She too felt enlightened to have met the gods and was pleased that Trutin himself was being very formal with her. In fact, if she did not know any better, she would have thought he was _hitting_ on her. The champions grabbed hands and looked at the smiling, grand figures of the gods for one last look of approval. Trutin shut his eyes, nodded his head, and waved his hands. Bright light enveloped the crowd and all color seemed to disappear, with the exception of the shifting, phasing colors of Trutin's ring.  
  
With hands clasped, they were no longer a group of daring people led by a brave maiden. They would now decide the fate of the world, with Leena, the Maiden of the Gods, ushering them toward an uncertain future: a future that was a battle they had to win. This area of the universe was the space beyond reality, a place darker than a thousand nights. Leena clutched her hands to her chest and Trutin's ring, with its shifting colors, became the beacon of light that everyone could follow.  
  
Soon the group found that they could move simply by thinking, their bodies moving in concert with their minds. Leena took the lead, moving in the direction her heart steered her, as her friends followed in tow. Besides the heroes themselves, the darkness was empty; whatever part of FATE resided here was not in plain sight. But then again, this place was vast, darkness spreading out like a blanket in all directions. None of these heroes expected, for even a second, that the battle would begin immediately.  
  
"We must do this for all of our dreams, because we have not lost yet. Lynx, FATE," Leena said, her eyes narrowing as her will was cast in steel, "we're coming for you!"

**By: Matt620**


	22. To Find FATE, Ending Part 3

Here's another part where the voters made some decisions. Of the 35 people sent to Chronopolis, we split them into five teams, with a leader for each. People then voted on one leader from each team. We separated the other characters from there based on the corresponding leaders. This story more focuses on the preparation of the 35 in Chronopolis and the desire of the 8 to find FATE. From here, expect many battles in the parts to come. Below are listed the teams and leaders for future reference.

**Team A: **

Viper (Leader)

Greco

Grobyc

Korcha

Poshul

Radius

Van

**Team B: **

Marcy (Leader)

Irenes

Luccia

Mojo(y)

NeoFio

Pip

Starky

**Team C:**

Glenn (Leader)

Funguy

Janice

Karsh

Orcha

Pierre

Zoah

**Team D: **

Fargo (Leader)

Draggy

Leah

Mel

Skelly

Turnip

Zappa

**Team E: **

Steena (Leader)

Guile

Macha

Nikki

Riddel

Sneff

Sprigg

* * *

Ending Part 3

Thirty-five people appeared at the edge of Chronopolis. There were many robots inside and Lynx was in there somewhere. The group knew that they had to go in there to buy time for Leena and her group.

"Like, how are we going to get in?" asked Marcy.

"We fight our way in," answered Steena. "I believe we should divide into teams. It will be easier to infiltrate Chronopolis that way. I will lead a team to fight Lynx. This time, it is I who will emerge victorious."

"I will also be a team leader," said Viper. "I have experience leading the island of El Nido. I also used to fight when I was younger."

"I will be a leader," said Fargo. "I lead a band of pirates, so I am good at fighting, too."

"I wish to be a leader," said Glenn. "My father and brother were leaders and I intend to keep my family's tradition alive."

"Does anyone else volunteer to be a leader?" asked Steena. "Five teams would be best since five teams of seven is thirty-five, which is how many people we have."

"Can I be a leader?" asked Marcy.

"No," replied Glenn. "You are a little brat not fit to be a leader."

"I want to prove to everyone that I am not just a little brat. I want to show everyone that I am capable of doing this," Marcy announced, her voice calmer than usual.

"I think Marcy would make a great leader," said Fargo. "I mean, she is my daughter; leadership runs in the family."

"I too think Marcy should be given a chance," added Riddel. "She had some idea what was going on with Serge, more than most of the people on the island."

"I trust your judgment, Riddel," said Viper. "I would also like to see Marcy have the chance to prove herself."

"Marcy's team will infiltrate the core of Chronopolis," said Steena. "Viper, Fargo, and Glenn, you fight the robots and open us a path to the center. My team will go after Lynx. I would like my team to be magical and have the physical fighters keep the robots away. Marcy's team should consist of those who are swift and can avoid the robots."

"I don't think she is capable of infiltrating the core," said Glenn. "I will take my team to infiltrate the core."

"No," said Steena. "You are needed to fight the robots. Marcy is small and quick so she is better at infiltrating the core."

After some debating the teams were formed. Marcy's team consisted of Mojoy, NeoFio, Irenes, Starky, Luccia, and Pip. Steena's team consisted of Guile, Riddel, Nikki, Macha, Sprigg, and Sneff. Viper's team consisted of Radius, Greco, Poshul, Van, Grobyc, and Korcha. Glenn's team consisted of Karsh, Zoah, Funguy, Janice, Pierre, and Orcha. Fargo's team consisted of Draggy, Leah, Zappa, Mel, Turnip, and Skelly.

"Before we split up, I want each leader to have one of these." Viper held up five badges.

"What are they?" asked Glenn.

"Some communicators that the Porre Army left behind," answered Viper.

"Ah, I recognize them," said Fargo. "You attach it to your clothing and you hit it and talk into it." Fargo held one of them and hit the button. "Can you hear me now?"

Each of the buttons communicated Fargo's voice.

"Like, amazing!" exclaimed Marcy.

Each of the leaders attached the communicator as they entered Chronopolis. Several robots were in the lobby. Lasers were fired in the direction of the group.

"We should split up," advised Viper. "Someone needs to distract the robots to let everyone through."

"Glenn's and Marcy's teams, go through the right door. My team and Fargo's team, go through the left door. Viper, your team fights the robots in this hall to let us pass," Steena ordered.

"Why do I have to follow Marcy?" whined Glenn.

"Glenn, do as Steena says," said Viper. "Time is of the essence."

"Oh, okay..." Glenn said reluctantly as the teams split up.

Viper and Radius charged at one of the robots. It fell into a pile of rubble.

"Just like the old days," said Radius.

Greco and Grobyc pounded the robots with their gloves, each of them taking out more robots than the other's combined.

"Let my amigos pass!" yelled Greco.

"My-friends-will-pass," said Grobyc.

Poshul dug at the ground and managed to kick up some sand into the robots' optical sensors. While the robots were blinded, Van threw his boomerang at them and knocked them to the ground.

"I can't letCHA win!" exclaimed Korcha as he attacked the robots on the ground with his fishing lure, hitting them on the head so that they would be disoriented.

Viper and Radius swung their weapons at the remaining robots until they all fell apart into scraps.

"Well, we took out all the robots guarding the entrance," explained Viper, tapping his communicator. "I will keep my team here to guard the entrance. I am unsure if reinforcements are coming."

"There are many robots ahead," noted Steena, tapping her communicator. "I believe this is where Lynx is. Viper, guard the entrance; do not let anyone else in."

"I will fight this set of robots. Steena, go find Lynx," said Fargo. "Leah, can you throw the robots at me?"

"Um... sure. Why?" asked Leah.

"Just do it," ordered Fargo, who unsheathed his sword.

Leah ran up to the robots and threw them at Fargo. Fargo began slashing the robots. One robot was cleaved and then another one. Leah threw the third one at Fargo, then said, "Four comes after three!" and threw a fourth robot at Fargo. Fargo stopped slashing, his technique finished.

"So you finally learned to count, Leah. Good for you. Now Steena's team can get through and we can finish fighting the rest of the robots," Fargo praised.

"Leah, hop on my back," said Draggy.

"Um... okay." Leah hopped on Draggy's back as they began to attack the rest of the robots. Leah swung her axe at the robots while Draggy breathed fire at them.

"I can't let the bad guys win," said Zappa, who swung his massive hammer like a golf club at the nearest robot and smashed it with his great strength. The robot flew into the wall and exploded. Luckily, nobody was hurt.

Turnip and Skelly took turns smacking the last robot with their weapons. Mel noticed what they were doing and threw her boomerang at that robot causing it to fall apart. Mel grinned as Skelly and Turnip started to chase her around the room. Leah and Draggy soon joined in the chase.

"Well, at least we are done here," remarked Fargo, tapping his communicator. "It looks like Steena made it through. But it appears that Draggy's fire breath has melted the door shut. Make sure Marcy's group reaches the core."

"Yeah, yeah, I will," replied Glenn, tapping his communicator. "But we just found some robots on this side of the building too."

"I can't dodge them all, Glenn," said Marcy. "You need to fight so my group can reach the core of this place to shut it down. Can we call a truce?"

"Oh, okay, Marcy. Since our mission does come first," conceded Glenn, as he pulled out two swords from their sheaths.

"I'll try to get through. You just kill the robots," Marcy instructed as she started to head for a small doorway in the back.

"In the name of Garai, I will punish you!" yelled Glenn as he swiped his swords at the nearest robot.

"Zoah, lets rock!" exclaimed Karsh.

"RIGHT," agreed Zoah.

Karsh then ran up to a robot smacking it with his axe. The robot flew right to Zoah, who performed a spike on the robot, slamming it into the ground and breaking it into pieces.

Janice banged on her drum with her carrot. The robots stopped to listen to the music, which sounded suspiciously like the song "Beat It". Funguy and Orcha then smacked them around with their axe and frying pan. Pierre laughed as the robots started doing the Moonwalk.

"Pierre, go beat them up!" yelled Janice, as she continued to play "Beat It" on her drum.

Pierre pulled out his hero blade but looked clueless. Just then, Zoah spiked a robot onto the end of Pierre's sword, destroying the robot.

"Moi has defeated the robots," declared Pierre.

"Yeah, sure Pierre..." humored Glenn, who had just finished killing the most robots of the group with his Einlanzers. "We are done here. But we cannot follow Marcy's group. The door is too small for some of us to fit through. No offense Orcha, but you need to lose weight. I'm sorry about the bra thing, though."

"It's okay Glenn, I'm not mad atCHA," said Orcha.

"I wonder if Steena's group is okay?" pondered Glenn.

* * *

The party of eight champions floated away from the disappearing rift and into the darkness of the space beyond reality. All around them was a sea of black, yet they were able to see each other as if illuminated by an inner light. Scattered around them in every direction were dim stars, their light swallowed up by the darkness. The scenery resembled diamonds in a pool of ink.

"Where do we need to go?" wondered Miki as she gazed at the patterns of stars.

Before Leena could open her mouth to answer, Razzly's scream rang in their ears. All heads turned to the fairy to see her flailing her arms. Her face was scrunched in panic and tears were falling from her eyes. "Get it off! It won't let go of me!"

Orlha stared at Razzly but could not find her assailant. "I don't see anything, Razzly. Where is it?"

"I see it," Norris stated as he pulled out his gun. "Razzly, don't move!" The fairy obeyed as Norris raised his gun and aimed carefully at the space in front of her. A small yellow ball of energy accelerated out of the gun and collided with Razzly's hidden assailant, revealing a monster latched onto her body. It disintegrated into nothing and left behind a cluster of green orbs that took flight into the distant stars.

The sprite relaxed her arms and let out a sigh of relief. "That monster was absorbing my energy-hee!" she cried.

Doc tended to Razzly while the others took in what just happened.

"Those green orbs were the absorbed energy from Razzly," observed Schala "Kid" Zeal.

"Where did the orbs go?" wondered Norris, putting his gun away.

"I'm sure they went to wherever the monster came from," Miki speculated.

"FATE," Harle explained. "FATE iz ze dominant being outside of reality. Zat monster must be one of itz minions under itz control. Ze monster travelz through space abzorbing energy for itz master."

"That makes sense," Orlha noted.

"You seem to be quite familiar with the space beyond reality, Harle," Schala observed.

Harle nodded in affirmation. "Oui. Like vous, I waz a traveler of ze vastness of ze ot'er zide. Alt'ough I am not az familiar with zis world az vous."

"Yeah...I doubt anyone has spent as much time here as me," Schala sighed.

"My apologiez, Mademoiselle Schala," the jester said while bowing. "It waz not my intention to bring up unpleazant memoriez."

"That's alright, Harle. We're not leaving this space until FATE is eliminated and Serge is safe, so I have no reason to dwell on the past."

Doc finished his examination of Razzly and found no injuries, just a spooked out, drained sprite. The physician easily restored her energy with a spare Tablet. However, as soon as his job was done, another scream pierced the air. This scream was followed by several more. Startled, Doc turned to his friends but felt something icy cold touch his back when he did so. He then had the unsettling feeling of his life being sucked out from him and frantically waved his arms in a vain attempt to detach the monster from his back.

Orlha had an easier time ridding herself of her shadow monster, as it had attached itself to her arm. She merely punched it until it vaporized, blue orbs erupting out of its transient form. Realizing what the orbs were, she quickly reached out and touched them. They disappeared upon contact and the barmaid was rejuvenated.

To Orlha's left Leena had just swung her frying pan like a golf club against the monster secured to her legs. The remaining orbs shone of every color like soap bubbles. She also touched them. A second later Leena flinched as another dark fiend attacked her, this time on her back. Orlha, seeing this, raced to her champion's aid, pulled her fist back, and killed the beast with a devastating punch. She nudged Leena backwards so that she would reabsorb her lost energy.

"Orlha, thank you!" Leena said with a sigh of relief. "We cannot afford to stick around here; we must find FATE as soon as possible!"

"Yes, you're right, but where is FATE?" Orlha asked.

Harle teleported a few feet away from her original position and threw her darts at the fiend that had tapped her energy.

"Leena, do vous recall Serge'z last wordz?" Harle questioned.

The champion killed the shadow on Doc's back and replied, "Yes. He said, 'Where stars cross fate.'"

"Zat iz w'ere we will find FATE."

"So...at the intersection of two stars, we will find FATE?" asked Orlha after assisting Miki in killing her attacker.

"Yes," Leena verified. "That was the meaning of Serge's clue."

"Dude, we figured it out! Awesome!" rejoiced Doc.

Norris shot the remaining shadows. "Now we have to find those two intersecting stars from a whole sky of stars. How the hell are we supposed to do that?"

"Aahhh!" Miki screamed. Another wave of shadow monsters had reached the group and one was presently lapping up the dancer's vitality. Before any of the other shadows could attack, Leena unleashed an element. The beasts were not easily seen in the darkness of space, but they were not invisible. They were solid beings that could vaguely be seen by the stars they blocked from view. The black monsters, Miki's assailant included, were all pulled into an equally black mass where they disappeared forever. In front of Miki, all that remained of the beast was a couple of red orbs. The dancer reached out to touch them but Schala held her arm still. The orbs floated away into the distance.

"What did you do that for?!" Miki demanded, upset at losing her energy.

"Don't lose sight of the orbs! Everybody, follow me!" Schala "Kid" Zeal called as she took off after the red orbs with the others right behind. "Remember, those monsters are FATE's minions. These energy orbs should lead us straight to the crossed stars and FATE!"

"That's a clever idea-hee!" Razzly commented.

"Ah, I see," Miki realized as Doc gave her a Tablet. "I'm sorry for my outburst. Just warn me next time?"

"Sure thing, Miki. Sorry about that," Schala laughed.

Soon enough, a light brighter than the surrounding starlight came into sight. The light steadily grew brighter as the party floated closer to the source. They were not using physical force to drift toward the light; their will was guiding them there. It quickly became apparent that the light actually had two sources.

"There they are," Leena discerned. The two stars shone brightly ahead, their light crossing each other in the shape of an "X."

"Yeah! We know where FATE is now! Let's get it!" Miki enthused.

"Hold on!" Norris interrupted. "This is the final battle, so we can't rush heedlessly into the fray. We must be prepared for what awaits us."

"Equip your elements wisely," Leena advised. "Remember that we need to play the Chrono Cross melody to free Serge." The rest agreed and began selecting their elements.

Harle found the element Guile had given her. 'Monsieur Guile gave zis zealing element to moi becauze 'e believez it will be uzeful. I t'ink it will come in 'andy,' thought the jester as she equipped the element.

"This is it: the final battle," Leena began. "Our actions here will determine the future of the universe. We have the means to stop this oppressor from attaining true power and we cannot lose this opportunity. Our strategy is to use Harle's sealing element to prevent FATE from interfering with our melody. You all know the order of elements. Schala will then use the Chrono Cross to separate Serge from FATE. This must be done before it crosses over to reality. Any questions?"

"I cannot uze zis element at ze start of battle," Harle added. "FATE must be weakened first or it will break t'rough ze zeal."

"Right," Leena agreed. "Give it all you got but leave at least one element of your affinity for the melody."

"This is so exciting-hee!" Razzly exclaimed.

"I can already feel the adrenaline pumping. We're ready, Miss Champion, and waiting for your order," Norris said anxiously.

"Then let's go save the universe!"

**By: Alanna82 and TenkoStar17**


	23. Fighting Continues, Ending Part 4

More fighting in this part as we see things from the different perspectives of those in the space beyond reality and those in Chronopolis. Lynx and FATE are found, but the ensuing battles will not prove easy at all. When it is so easy to falter and lose hope, others must make sure they persevere, or else...

* * *

Ending Part 4

Fully prepped for the upcoming battle, the eight companions drew their weapons and flew towards the light.

At the intersection of the stars the light shone down like a spotlight. Below was an extensive floating metal cube. It was a supercomputer. This cube had lights flashing on all sides and pulses of electricity zipped across the surface in every direction, but mostly toward one point in the center. And right smack in the middle of the top face sat FATE itself. A black monstrosity of machine and flesh, FATE was fearsome to behold. Its base was attached to the top face of the cubic machine. From that base rose a torso that sprouted eight arms. The bulbous head was the busiest part of the body. The light pulses traveled up from the cube to the head like blood vessels to the brain.

The champions descended toward the edge of the top face of the cube.

"There's FATE!" Miki pointed at the ominous figure several hundred yards in front of them.

"It looks like it's asleep-hee." Razzly peered at FATE's face to see that its eyes were closed.

"Let's get closer. But be wary; it might be a trap," Leena advised.

The party glided toward FATE. As they closed the gap between them, they could hear the sound of motors spinning and circuits buzzing. Even it its sleep, there was much activity going on within the mechanical beast. Schala found herself gazing at FATE's face, her eyes attached to the closed eyelids of the computer as if she was attempting to see through them.

'Serge...' Schala whispered. For an eternity she had been waiting for Serge and now she stood in front of him. However, this wasn't the same Serge that had released her from the Time Devourer. Her heart ached to see him like this. Now it was Serge who was trapped within a beast and Schala who had the Chrono Cross. She would use it to free her friend, just as he did for her.

"Let's take this bastard out right now!" shouted Norris, as he rushed off into the general direction of FATE's center. Before he got too far a hand shot out and pulled him back in.

"Easy there, soldier," said Orlha. "I don't think jumping into the fray willy-nilly would be the wisest thing to do right now."

"Why not?" Doc asked.

"Well, for starters, FATE is huge," pointed out Miki. "In a physical fight it would be no contest. One swipe of those arms and it would crush us like ants."

"Miki's got a point," Leena conceded. "FATE appears to be sleeping now. We should take advantage of that. Schala, how close would we have to be in order for the Chrono Cross melody to have an effect?"

"Hmmm...that's a good question," said Schala. "I'm not sure. I've never heard of it working farther than ten or twenty yards away. Although that doesn't mean it couldn't work from a bigger distance. Judging from the properties of sound, fifty yards would be its max under normal conditions. However, the space beyond reality is anything but normal."

"Yeah, sound carries-hee here," Razzly pointed out.

"Exactly," said Schala. "So I would say about double the original distance. One hundred yards away would be the absolute maximum. FATE needs to hear all the notes in order for the melody to do its work and some of them aren't nearly as resonant as others."

"Then that's the distance we'll stay," decided Leena. "No sense in getting too close for comfort. Plus, we can get this over with real quick if FATE remains inactive."

"We need to 'urry, t'ough," Harle said. "Zat portal iz getting bigger by ze zecond." The harlequin pointed at a white hole off to the side of FATE. For the time being it could only contain about a quarter of the massive computer's girth. It was steadily increasing in size however. In another hour it appeared as if it would be large enough for FATE to squeeze through.

"We have to act fast," Leena realized. "Alright gang, let's spread out and get this over with. Serge should be back to normal in no time! Does everyone remember the order of the melody?"

"Yes," her companions answered in unison.

"Good, then let's show FATE who's boss!" Leena called out. The eight then silently floated down in front of FATE's enormous head. Unbeknownst to them, however, a small glint of metal also took its leave of the area upon their departure.

The adventurers settled down in front of the mechanized monstrosity and steeled themselves for what they were about to do. There were no words spoken between them but everyone could feel the desire to help Serge as if it was a tangible entity. Tension was beginning to build as Leena was waiting for the correct time to begin. Just when everyone felt as if they would crack if they had to wait any longer, a nod from the village girl allowed the chain to begin.

The elements each had picked were chosen specifically not to draw attention to themselves. With each spell loosed the caster felt more at home within their own innate realm. The order went without a hitch, starting off with Norris, following up with Miki, and then Razzly, Orlha, and Harle. When it came time for Doc's turn, however, the perfect melody grinded to a halt as an aberrant tune grated on the ears. Instead of a white element, its polar opposite, a black element, had been used.

"Doc!" Leena cried out at the physician. "How could you mess up that bad?"

Doc opened his eyes and looked a little confused. He moved his head around as if searching for an explanation. "But Leena, that wasn't me! I mean, dude, I haven't even casted an element yet!"

"Well, if it that wasn't you, then who was it?" asked Schala, a trifle annoyed.

"Foolish mortals," a voice boomed from behind them, "it was I." Eight heads then swiftly turned toward the source of the interrupter. Upon doing that they wished they hadn't, though. Their worst fears had been realized. FATE was awake.

"How naïve of you to think the ultimate machine isn't aware of its surroundings while hibernating," FATE chastised. "Both my internal and external senses are far superior to yours. They let me monitor the whole realm. I have known of your presence here since you arrived and have been waiting patiently for you to reach me. Have you forgotten the purpose of FATE already?"

"Your purpose is to enslave humans and demi-humans for your own greedy ambitions!" Schala accused.

"Of course a mere mortal human could not comprehend the necessity of my actions," FATE scoffed. "Since my absence, chaos has run rampant and variability is out of control. Humans are irrational and selfish creatures that should not be allowed that much freedom. I will guide you down the correct paths and show you the way."

"There is nothing honorable about your motives," Leena countered. "I don't see you as a savior; I see you as a coward. We all are intimidated by the uncertainty of the world at times, but you let that fear consume you. You cannot bear the thought of not knowing what is going on, not being in control, so you take the coward's way out to quell those feelings by controlling the world until it fits your desired mold."

"Are you through, simpleton?" the machine growled impatiently. "You will put me back to sleep so soon after waking up."

"We will not be through until the universe is free from your presence!" the champion retorted.

"I am not interested in your speeches and I am not frightened by your empty threats, girl," FATE asserted. "You have tried and ultimately failed to bring me down once before, and this time, your leader is on my side. He is within me, a part of me. In fact, you are speaking with Serge now, since he is now merged with me. How does that make you feel, knowing that your beloved friend has abandoned you and become your enemy?"

Leena's fists shook at her side as she was about to boil over. A hand grabbed onto her arm and cooled her down. The champion looked to her side at Orlha.

"Don't listen to it, Leena," the barmaid advised. "It wants you to lose control of your emotions and your focus."

Leena's eyes lost their anger and she nodded her head to Orlha. "You're right. I'll only focus on releasing Serge from that tyrant."

"I know Serge is within you somewhere," Schala began, "and I understand that I'll be fighting him, but I don't care. If that is what it takes to free my best friend, I'll do it without hesitation. He wants us to fight for him; he's waiting for us to reach him. The only thing in our way is you!"

The ground shook beneath them. "The only thing Serge and I want right now is to bring your meaningless lives to an end!" FATE bellowed. "Now you will witness firsthand real power!"

As if on cue drones came at the eight from all sides. The group split up in an effort to get out of the way but the machines were smarter than that. Each adventurer soon had a cluster of mechanized pursuers start to chase after them.

"This is what I was afraid of," Miki whined, as she flew around some dangerous laser beams.

"Yeah, I don't think these guys are willing to play nice," Orlha added.

"Only one thing to do then," pointed out Leena. The champion raised her hand and called up a mighty storm cloud. Sputtering with electricity, the thunderhead spit out lightning bolts at some drones. Upon contact with the current the machines exploded into a myriad of tiny pieces. "We have to fight back."

"Take that y-you mean-hee machines!" yelled Razzly. She conjured up a gigantic tornado that buffeted another cluster of drones on all sides, tearing them into scrap metal.

Doc flew over to Razzly to help add his power to the mix. "That's it, little dude. Let's send these machines over the rainbow!"

"Fight all you want, pathetic humans," the booming voice of FATE sounded all around them. "It matters little to me. Your efforts will only be for naught in the grand scheme of things."

"FATE's right," Schala agreed. "These drones are not its main concern."

"What do you mean?" asked Norris in between shots with his gun.

"The monstrosity is just stalling us," Schala replied. "Every second we waste is another second for that portal to grow bigger."

"Vous are right," Harle said. "We 'ave to weaken FATE directly."

"But how are we going to get through all these drones?" wondered Doc.

"We'll have to split up," Norris explained. "Four teams of two each. With each of us closing in on FATE we can possibly weaken it down enough."

"Giving us a chance to cast our power seal and begin the melody," Schala said, catching on.

"Norris and Orlha, you go toward FATE's north side," Leena ordered. "Miki and Harle will approach from the east while Doc and Razzly can come in from the west. Schala and I will attack the south side."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"This isn't some game any more, as I'm sure you're well aware," Norris pointed out. "So be careful. All of us need to be alive in order to finish the melody."

"Thanks for your concern, dude, but we'll be fine," Doc smiled. The teams eyed one another and without another word took off.

Harle and Miki had FATE's east side in their sights and nothing seemed to be able to deter them. The jester merely teleported out of the way of any oncoming threats while Miki fired molten magma bursts at any robots who got too close. FATE saw their approach but did nothing.

"Let's hit this thing hard!" Miki shouted.

"I am right behind vous," Harle said. Calling upon the powers of the moon, the harlequined girl blasted off a sizeable piece of FATE's mechanized form. Miki added her power to the offensive as well, air blades slicing through machinery as if it were butter.

"Lets hit this thing hard, Raz," Doc laughed. There was danger all around the physician but he seemed to love every second of it.

"I am right-hee behind you!" giggled the fairy, as a flurry of stars erupted out of her wand.

Finally the two reached FATE's west side. Calling upon a handfull of knives, Doc embedded the blades into the mechanized monstrosity's side. Razzly conjured up gigantic carnivorous plants that slowly began chewing their way up the giant's side. FATE knew it was taking damage but still chose to do nothing.

Schala's more boisterous side shone through as she was gleefully tearing into the drones with her two daggers. Both shone with magic and packed immense power, causing any machines in their way to disintegrate. Leena smiled at the display while making sure to pick off any escaping robots with a few well-timed spells. Schala truly was a combination of both her former self and Kid.

"We've got them on the run, Leena!" the princess called out. "Soon we'll be seeing Serge again!"

"Make sure not to get too excited, though," Leena warned. "That portal into reality is growing bigger even as we speak. We need to put a stop to this. Now."

The two women slowed down their flight as FATE's south side came into view. Schala sheathed her blades at her side. Calling upon her ancient power, the Princess of Zeal let loose a shadowy hole interspersed with flecks of bright light toward FATE. Leena complemented this assault with an onslaught of ice that would chill any mortal to the bone before ripping the icy cover away with intense heat. FATE still did not act, almost as if the machine was waiting for something.

The last pair to reach its destination was Norris and Orlha. Drone interference on their route had proven particularly heavy and it was only through the speed and accuracy of Norris' gun and Orlha's fists and magic that the two were able to approach FATE's north side. Slowing down their progress, the duo immediately began throwing all their energy into attacking the giant computer.

"Let Serge go!" shouted Norris. Every few seconds his gun blasted into FATE and left a charred hole in its wake.

"Humanity should have the power to determine its own course!" added Orlha. The barmaid pelted FATE with intense water blasts, catching it in a veritable deluge in an attempt to short-circuit the machine.

FATE was aware of the damage it was sustaining but had kept its major actions in check until the time was right. The logic circuits in the computer's brain were working on overdrive as it tried to calculate the exact moment to execute its plan. As soon as Norris and Orlha began their assault FATE knew the time had come.

Sparks began flying from the supercomputer's head as an antenna slowly rose into the sky. Flashing orange and conveying some sort of instructions, the rod seemed to draw the attention of all the drones that had been circling the mechanized leader. Each drone raised its own antenna in response and began to pulse with the same frequency FATE was emitting. There was a slight pause and then all the robots dove straight toward their master like ravens attacking a carcass.

"What iz zis?" asked Harle, shocked at the sudden coordination of the machines.

"I don't know," answered Miki. "But whatever it is, it doesn't look good."

* * *

At that moment, Steena's group had found the room where Lynx was hiding.

"I will go in alone. Use your magic to attack Lynx from afar," commanded Steena, walking into the room.

Lynx was sitting on a throne looking very pleased with himself. He saw Steena enter the room and got up off of the throne. "So you want a rematch?" he asked.

"I have protection, Lynx," informed Steena as she pointed to a charm she wore around her neck. "I guess this time SealAll will not work." As Steena spoke to Lynx, swords manifested out of thin air. Steena knew she had to distract Lynx from seeing Guile's and Sneff's tech.

"So this time we use magic," said Lynx, swords forming around him. "What? Swords? You did not come alone." Lynx got out of the way of the swords and grabbed one of them.

"You almost fell for it," observed Steena, grabbing another one of the swords.

"Fine, I will call in my reinforcements," said Lynx. "Where are the robots?"

"The others defeated them already. Lynx, you cannot win," Steena said. "Everyone, use your strongest elements!"

First a black hole appeared in the room, cast by Guile. Lynx avoided it. "Why are you using black against black?"

Then the room crackled with electricity with the ThundaStorm that Sneff used. Lynx's fur stood up on end as he looked around for Steena's allies. A giant iceberg filled the room, making Lynx's fur look like needles. Nikki had cast this spell.

A gust of wind blew Lynx off of his feet, which then turned into a full tornado. Sprigg had actually not transformed and used it off of her own small element grid. Next, the room became as hot as a volcano, this time cast by Macha. Lynx's fur began to smoke.

"You will not cast the white spell, Steena," said Lynx. "You are not even casting the spells in the order for the Chrono Cross." Lynx grabbed Steena by the neck and held the sword up to her throat. Just then the room went beyond super nova, for Riddel had cast UltraNova.

"You had another white innate besides yourself," noted Lynx, who had let go of Steena as his sword slumped down. "You may have won the fight, but you will lose the war!" Lynx fled through a door. Steena walked up to the door and noticed that it was locked and that Lynx had the key.

Steena gathered her teammates in the room where Lynx was. "We cannot follow Lynx any more," she said. "We must wait for Marcy to disable Chronopolis."

* * *

Marcy and her group had finally reached the core of Chronopolis.

"Like, now where is the 'off' button?" wondered Marcy.

"It's right over dere," replied Luccia. "But it is behind that!"

Luccia pointed to what appeared to be FATE. But its eyes looked empty, as if it was only a mere shell. "I vill do some calculations about dis," she said as FATE's shell started flailing its arms.

"Oh no! It's moving," observed Marcy. "Everyone, attack it!"

"Starky attaack yoou!" Starky declared as he got out his plasma pistol and started shooting at FATE's shell.

"Wuccia, NeoFio...Wet's destwoy dat ding!" Pip exclaimed, as he started glowing. Pip's wings grew. He had transformed into his ultimate form: the archangel.

"Let's do a triple tech!" suggested NeoFio. She spit seeds at FATE's shell while Luccia threw an ameba on its head and Pip pounced at it. FATE reeled from the blow. An arm thrashed and hit Starky all the way across the room.

"Irenes, heal Starky!" yelled Marcy.

"Ya." Irenes played a healing melody on her harp, trying to heal Starky.

FATE's other arm attempted to hit Mojoy but the straw doll dodged. FATE's shell then cast Gravitonne, making the gravity in the room heavy.

"Must...keep fighting," said Marcy. "We can't let FATE's shell beat us. Irenes, how is Starky?"

"He ist out cold," responded Irenes.

Marcy slowly pulled herself up. She pulled out some string, waved it around, and attacked FATE's shell with it. "Take that!" she cried out. FATE's shell reeled again, still flailing blindly.

A green gas filled the room. Marcy recognized it as knock-out gas. She covered her mouth with her hand and held her breath. So that is why the monster knocked out Starky. The gas couldn't penetrate his helmet. One by one, Marcy's team passed out. Soon, Marcy was the only one left. She had to take a breath soon. At least the gas was dispersing. Marcy gave up and inhaled what little gas there was left. As she started to faint, she noticed a humanoid cat run into the room. "I have failed..." whispered Marcy as she passed out.

**By: Daredevil3181, Alanna82, and TenkoStar17**


	24. Playing the Melody, Ending Part 5

The focus in this installment is simply the playing of the Chrono Cross. Its healing notes are the only hope the adventurers have of destroying FATE and freeing Serge. All is not as it appears to be, though, as the actual location of the Chrono Cross is not where it was originally thought to be. With the melody complete, all that is left is for Serge to overcome his own internal struggle.

* * *

Ending Part 5

Drones filled the air all around FATE and the eight adventurers. They began rotating around so fast that light was beginning to become a rare commodity. As their little gears whirred together, each robot began to interlock with those around it. Clicks and clangs sounded all around as the machines formed one huge metal sheet. Finally, the rotation seemed to slow down and stop. In its place was a giant metal dome that enclosed everything inside and kept all intruders out.

Feeling claustrophobia well up inside of him, Norris began to sweat profusely. He unleashed a barrage of shots against the drone dome but none seemed to have any effect. The metal simply absorbed and dispersed the energy, leaving the companions trapped.

"Now I can begin to exterminate you like the vermin you are," boomed FATE. "Do not try to escape, because you cannot. Do not worry. It will all be over soon."

FATE's eight arms then extended out. They seemed to be changing right in front of the group's eyes but in subtle ways. As the supercomputer extended its fingers it became apparent that razor-sharp blades had made their way onto the ends of FATE's appendages. Each hand then descended toward a different adventurer as the wild dance began.

Dodging was frantic in the enclosed space as FATE tried to slice up the group. There was only a trickle of light that bathed the area and the smell of the machine's emissions was horrid. Even if the supercomputer was not able to directly cut the eight companions the lack of air would eventually finish them off.

'That antenna's the problem, man,' thought Doc as he narrowly missed getting skewered. 'I need to take it out!' He called forth a number of knives and threw them at the raised antenna. FATE sensed this attack and reacted accordingly. Before Doc's blades could do any damage, the antenna retracted down into FATE's head.

"The wall will remain for as long as it needs to," said FATE in a grating voice. "My servants will stay like that until another order is given. The antenna means little to me now."

"Bloody hell!" fumed Schala. "This thing can't be the end of us!"

"I told you I am far superior to anything a mortal could muster," FATE gloated. "You have no chance to survive, so I would urge you to make the best use of the time you have left. Even though it will not do you any good, it shall prove an adequate test of my prowess. Come and embrace your pathway to destruction"

'This can't be right,' Leena thought as she shook her head. 'Despite all of this thing's boasting I know that no fortress is impenetrable. I just need to find its weak spot.'

The Champion of the Gods mentally went through all the magical energies she currently had available to her. In her prior form the village maiden would have only had access to a small sphere of spells but Trutin had recently removed that limitation. As though rapidly flipping through the pages of a giant book, Leena finally found the element she sought.

The girl from Arni village let a green glow wash over her body and finally settle atop her head. When she opened her eyes they were framed in an intense emerald light. The shocking part was what Leena saw through her enchanted pupils. Everywhere the champion looked she was able to view the weaknesses and strengths of everything that fell in her sight. She could sense life forces as well, almost like they were a tangible objects. Her gaze finally settled on FATE.

FATE was a behemoth and its life force was overpowering. Starting from the base of the supercomputer and working her way up, Leena hurriedly searched for some kink in its armor. Her search of the base proved fruitless. The torso proved to show nothing of any interest either. It was not until Leena's eyes wandered up to the mechanized giant's head that she found an area she could exploit.

Drawing more magical energies into her, the champion let loose a barrage of spells. All of them were targeted at a specific point on FATE's neck. Unfortunately the villager could not aim her attacks well enough due to the supercomputer's constant moving and thrashing. Her assault hit a few surrounding areas with little effect.

"It will not be that easy," said FATE. "You lack the skills necessary for that that tactic, impetuous worm."

"I can improve my aim," Leena countered as a red glow showered her hands and eyes. "Now I am assured of hitting my mark!"

"Not if the angle eludes you," FATE pointed out. To this the robot positioned its head between the village maiden and itself. Even with precise aim the magics would hit one of FATE's arms before they even got close to their mark. Leena then realized the only one person had a chance at pulling off her tactic.

"Norris!" Leena called out over the distance.

"Yes?" the soldier responded.

Now that she had his attention she used a new facet of her god-given power and talked to the military man telepathically.

'You need to hit FATE in a certain area in its neck,' Leena communicated. 'You have the best aim out of the group and my angle is all wrong.'

'Where's the area?' Norris wondered. 'It all looks the same to me.'

'There is a pulse,' Leena explained. 'Very subtle but there nonetheless. Underneath the metal lies a crucial circuit. It delivers the vast majority of FATE's power to various parts of its body. If you can knock that out then FATE will be weak enough for us to seal up its reserve energy and begin the Chrono Cross melody.'

'Wait...I don't...' Norris began. A glint suddenly caught the man's sharp eyes. 'Leena, I see it. And I'm taking it out. Be ready.' He then broke the telepathic link.

Looking around at the razor sharp arms that were dead-set on ending his life, Norris looked straight at Orlha, the woman who had become more than a friend to him over the past few weeks. "Cover me," he said. Norris then moved to a position where he would have a clear shot.

Despite FATE's gyrations the soldier's eyes were as sharp as any sniper's. Once he found the spot that would hamper the supercomputer he never let it escape his sight. Bringing his gun up to eye-level, Norris channeled all his power into the firearm, let it build to maximum capacity, and fired the energy right at the hidden circuit. The shot hit FATE dead-on but it was not strong enough, as the blast seemed to meet some invisible shield.

"Shit!" shouted Norris. Just then FATE began to slowly turn to deal with this new threat.

'I'm not strong enough, Leena,' Norris projected. 'There seems to be some kind of barrier up.'

'My magic can't help over the distance we're at,' Leena told him. 'But there may be another way...'

'What do you mean?' wondered Norris, but he was cut off as two muscular, yet slender, arms encircled him.

"I'm here to help you," Orlha whispered.

"How?" asked Norris. "You can't aim a gun as well as me."

"You're right," answered Orlha. "But I can help you attain the necessary energy you need. Leena pointed something out to me."

"Whatever she said to you, we need to act quick," the soldier pointed out. "This bitch won't go down easily."

"The shadows from earlier gave us an idea," Orlha quickly explained. "Our energy is not rooted to us as solidly in this dimension as it is in reality. We can take advantage of this. I will combine my own inner light with yours. Working together, it should be enough to penetrate that forcefield."

"How do we go about doing this?" Norris mused.

"You just aim and charge up a shot. I'll do the rest," the barmaid replied.

"Here goes nothing," the military man said, tension in his voice.

Norris began concentrating his energy into the gun that had served him for so long, just like he always did. He had a perfect aim on FATE's crucial circuit and followed its bobbing and weaving without a problem. Suddenly blue orbs began to float and dance around the barrel of his firearm, combining with his own charged power.

"The portal is almost ready," revealed FATE, in a harsh, grating sound. "I must now take my leave."

Norris's hands began to shake now as the gun's energy began to climb toward a critical level.

"All that power and you could do nothing correctly," FATE scolded them. "This only further validates my point. Humans are ill-fitted to determine their own destinies."

"C'mon, Norris," Schala whispered. "Hit it already..."

FATE raised up four of its arms and sent out a silent command to the top of the drones that formed the massive dome. Scuttling about, a ray of light began to slither its way through as the machines parted for their master. FATE was about to begin its ascension into godhood.

Streams of sweat ran down Norris' and Orlha's brows as they gave everything they had into this building power. Norris clenched his arms to keep them from wobbling and made sure the shot he released would be true. In one ear-piercing scream the solider and barmaid let loose the pistol's blast.

Sea-green energy arced out of the gun barrel and flew right at FATE. The supercomputer paid this new development no heed, confident that its defenses would hold. The sea-green glow slammed into the barrier and looked as if it would falter.

"It...can't...fail..." Norris spoke through clenched teeth.

"A last ditch effort, such a failure," FATE remarked. "Nothing can stop my plans."

With a final shout, Orlha let loose one last orb into the already steady beam of energy the gun was firing. The invisible shield began to pulse upon this renewed onslaught. Soon the rhythmic flashes became more and more frequent. FATE's expression changed to one of open-mouthed horror.

"Guess again...bitch," Orlha spat.

The barrier shattered into pieces then as the sea-green gunfire broke through. Like a vampire swooping in on its prey, the blast latched onto FATE's neck. With a mighty boom it tore into the supercomputer's metallic exterior and severed its circuit.

"No....bzzt..." cried FATE, as its arms began to fall.

"Quick, Harle, contain its power!" shouted Schala.

"Oui," the jester said. "It cannot defeat zis element." Bringing her hands together everything in the area was bathed in a black glow as energies were rendered temporarily inaccessible.

"Begin the melody!" Leena yelled.

Panting, Norris raised his arms over his head and covered FATE with a subtle yellow hue.

"I will...bzzt...stop..." FATE said. It slowly aimed its laser cannons at each member of the group.

"You're done for," Miki smiled, adding a red glow to the existing yellow one.

FATE locked onto each adventurer and tried to fire. But nothing came. Its power was not strong enough to break through the seal.

"Get away from our planet-hee!" Razzly squealed. The fairy mixed some green into the lights that were now dancing across FATE's form.

"I must...bzzt...call in...bzzt...reserves," FATE surmised.

With support from Norris, Orlha just had enough energy to cast her spell. Exhausted, her head slumped down as a blue light appeared on FATE's shell.

"Come forth...bzzt..." FATE ordered.

"Zis iz ze end of vous," Harle sneered. Darkness now joined the mix of colors.

"Lend me...bzzt...your strength..." the machine commanded. Suddenly millions of FATE's shadowy minions began pouring in through the hole in the dome. Each one went right to the damaged circuit and then vanished.

"It's growing stronger," Leena pointed out. FATE's fingers were now beginning to twitch once more.

"Leave us be, dude. Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Doc said, sternly. The pure white light left his fingertips and swirled onto the increasingly active robot exterior.

Not wasting any time the supercomputer shook off the encasing spell. A gigantic light flared into the surrounding environs, temporarily blinding the companions. FATE's arms were moving around once again.

"Hurry, finish it," pleaded Leena.

Schala went into a trance and held the Chrono Cross out in front of her. The lights pulsed all around the artifact as it reacted to the harmony it was meant to capitalize upon. The Princess of Zeal let the melody sweep her up in its sound and then opened her eyes. She raised the Chrono Cross high into the air. And one of FATE's arms came down and crushed it.

"No!" shouted Razzly, as the thousands of tiny pieces of the artifact were scattered to the ends of the dome.

"My human source destroyed this thing once," FATE remarked. "And so I have destroyed it again. You cannot stop me, for my rightful throne awaits." The dome began to open even wider as the giant machine simply stared into the portal.

"L-Leena," said Schala, visibly shaken. "What do we do? Our only hope has been destroyed."

"I don't believe that," Leena responded. "It can't be..."

"Without the Chrono Cross to complete the melody what can we do? After all that work!"

"I know, Schala, just..." Leena began to say. Her ear then focused in on something and the maiden trailed off.

"What? What is it?" Schala inquired.

"Don't you hear that?" Leena wondered. "It almost sounds like..."

"I can't hear anything," Schala interrupted. "But FATE is making its way toward the portal..."

"SSSShhhh!" Leena cut her off. The Champion of the Gods closed her eyes and focused on the music she heard. "It's beautiful..."

Time seemed to move in extreme slow motion for the girl from Arni. She saw FATE inching ever closer toward the portal that would lead to reality but that wasn't her main concern. The melody was still playing, begging her to complete it. On instinct, she raised up her arms and let the tune engulf her whole being.

Yellow, with its tones of lightning and strength. Red, the sound of fire and passion. Green, whispering like the wind in nature. Blue, embracing the calming sounds of the sea and the endless flow of magic. Black, its dirges bringing gravity to all. White, with its promises of rebirth and infinity. The last note begged to be released and Leena opened her mouth.

The sound she made was both happy and sad, strong and weak, sharp and soft. It was the perfect balance of all and none. Leena did not need the Chrono Cross at that point. Instead, she had become the Chrono Cross. With that final note, the melody was complete.

"What is that awful noise?" FATE asked. The lights that had danced across its body were now moving about very rapidly. Faster and faster they swirled, leaving behind a hard residue.

"This cannot be..." FATE said. This outcome had not even been processed by its logic circuits. The dangerous artifact had been destroyed. None of this should be happening.

"I will destroy you, mortal," the supercomputer threatened, as it made to move its arm and squash the girl that was the cause of all this. Its threat was hollow, however, as its arms had become encased in the same hard and crystalline substance that now held its legs. By the time FATE looked down at Leena once more the prison had reached its neck.

"Nooooo!" shouted FATE as the cocoon closed up and over its head. The machine was effectively trapped, but the melody was not done with its objective. A final pulse from Leena resonated as she reached out to the soul that was trapped within this shell. She had done all she could on her end. The rest was up to him.

**By: Daredevil3181**


	25. The True Serge, Ending Part 6

The ending might seems a little bit stretched out to you, but that's because it was originally separated into three much longer parts. I have further divided it up for ease of reading, so I hope you appreciate that. As far as this entry goes, you will see Serge in a light you never saw him in before as he wages war on the battlefield of his own mind. Atikon would have proven difficult enough to handle on his own, but when an unexpected visitor joins the fray, all bets are off. It seems that Serge and Atikon can only persevere if they work together, but that's easier said than done. Continue on for the penultimate chapter in the shocking conclusion!

* * *

Ending Part 6

Nothing moved in this area. All was still as death. The only thing that stood out was a giant black ball of some extremely viscous substance. Yet even that sphere showed no signs of life. That was, until now.

A shudder ran through the dark globe, as subtle as an eye blinking, but noticeable to the trained observer. Again the ball quivered as if suffering from some internal shock. Suddenly the sphere began gyrating around, in the throes of some massive seizure.

Small nubs of something lightly peach-colored began to push their way to the surface of the black ball. As more of this form broke the exterior it was clear that it was a hand, which was quickly followed by an arm. Not to be outdone, a leg kicked out with all its force and broke through. The other two symmetrical appendages were not far behind. Pelvic area, abdomen, and chest made their escape from the goo that housed them as well. Finally, a head and neck completed the shape as the ball dissolved into nothingness all around.

Gasping, Serge breathed his first untainted breath of fresh air in a long while. He lifted his arms to stretch out his sore muscles. He had not particularly enjoyed being cramped up in that prison for so long. Looking around his person, he was happy to find all of his clothes and equipment once again on him. With a smile he drew his swallow, the weapon that had served him well throughout all his adventures, and hurried off toward a light in the distance.

A gentle but firm hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further. The boy from Arni village turned around to see one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She wore a purple robe that was cinched around her waist with a prismatic, shimmering sash. He was about to brush her off but he found her smile intriguing.

"You know who I am, don't you, Serge?" the lady asked.

Serge's eyes then lit up with the realization of who this woman was. He had heard that voice before, in less favorable conditions. Now he could finally put two and two together. Emphatically, he nodded his head.

"Good," the woman smiled. "But your enemy is not who you think it is."

Confused, Serge beckoned her to continue.

"The one you want to subdue is as much a prisoner here as you are. He was tricked through his own greed by one who would fashion himself a seat in our pantheon. You can stop him, though. But before you choose your path, I must ask you one thing. As you seek to restore everything to the life you remember, were you really a part of that life? Or did you just exist as a facade?"

Serge pondered these words for some time. Still not grasping what this lady was trying to tell him, the boy just shrugged his shoulders. This action caused a glint of sadness to appear in her eyes.

"Complete yourself, Serge. That is the only hope any of us have in emerging from this titanic struggle. Only the Arbiter of Time can put an end to this danger. I sense the desire to help others from you but it is not enough. You cannot accept the true power until you are true to yourself."

Serge cast his eyes down. Everything she said was right. He just did not want to believe it.

"Find him. He needs you just as much as you need him. Show him this and heal your wounds. I will not appear to you again unless you are in the form you were meant to be."

The mute reached out his hand as if to stop her, but he was too late. The woman vanished into the blackness from which she came. The only thing that was left of her was a chilling echo. It simply said, "find him".

Grinding his teeth together, Serge mulled over everything that he had been told. He looked back toward the area where he had been imprisoned and then at the flashing doorway that lay in front of him. Sighing, he knew what had to be done. With a start, the boy ran off to meet his destiny.

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" wondered Miki. "Didn't we cast the melody correctly?"

"Yes, I know we did," replied Leena weakly. The maiden still had not recovered all her energy she had put into her singing of the final note. "It just takes time."

"I know you're right, Leena," Schala remarked. "But I find myself worrying nonetheless."

"Have faith, Schala," the village girl added. "He needs our support. He's about to do something he should have done a long time ago. I just hope he's strong enough to see it through."

* * *

This portion of his surroundings was not familiar to Serge at all. There were wires and metallic glints everywhere he turned. It almost seemed as if they were alive too, the way they slithered and slid on the ground.

He followed the cables to an area of where a chill wind blew. The bits and pieces of machinery grew denser with each step he took. It was beginning to become stifling but Serge still trudged on. Just when he thought he could go no further, he looked up. He had found what he was looking for.

A giant translucent ball was connected to circuits and wires of all types. The cables also ran inside the ball and latched onto the form that was inside. Its eyes were open but it didn't see or react to anything around it. Although Serge said not a word, he could feel the pain this one felt almost as if it was his own. As much as he despised this one, what had become of it was not right. With a single punch, Serge shattered the sphere that had become its prison.

The other's eyes blinked for the first time since Serge had entered this place. It looked around itself very quick before viewing the tubes and cords that had wrapped themselves around its body. Disgust filled its face as it tore them out with one forceful tug. Wincing, the person fell to the floor, coughed once, and looked Serge directly in the eyes.

"You came, but it won't do us any good," Atikon spat. "We're trapped and there's no way out."

Serge shook his head.

"It's going to come back for me," Atikon warned. "And when it finds you here as well...let's just say it won't be pretty."

Just then a whir of all too familiar machinery began to sound from not too far into the distance. A shudder ran across Atikon's body as the noise brought back painful memories. A sneer played itself across his face as he readied himself for what would come next.

"They might shackle me up again," Atikon said coldly, as he drew his swallow, "but I'm not going down without a fight."

As if on cue, drones entered into Atikon's and Serge's line of sight. Atikon screamed a mix of pain and hatred as he sliced into the nearest invader. Its two halves fell to the floor as the double's weapon glowed with a black energy. Smiling, he welcomed the fight the rest of them would bring.

The boy was a whirlwind of action as he ripped into each and every robot he saw. With each attack his body shone with a black, red, or yellow light. He knew this struggle would not end but so long as he was fighting he knew he was alive.

Despite Atikon's best efforts a single tendril snaked its way through his onslaught and latched onto his skin. He tried to slice off this unwelcome addition but his reflexes were not fast enough. A massive jolt shook him to his very core as he cried out. Smoking slightly, his legs lost their strength and his body followed them to the cold, hard ground. Other drones were soon on top of him as each latched on a tendril and delivered a punishing attack. A huge drone then floated over to the scene and unfurled its laser cannon at the rebellious mortal. There was no escape.

"Finish me you fucker," Atikon growled. "And tell your bitch, FATE, that it can kiss my ass while you're at it!"

The drone charged up its blast. It was aimed right at Atikon's head. Not blinking, Atikon prepared himself for what was to come next.

Energy arced right for the troubled youth but something else whizzed by his face. It slammed into the oncoming assault and met it head-on. A bolt of white light had knocked the attack aside. The machine turned to deal with this new threat but was only rewarded by a second white bolt tearing a gaping hole into its side. With a crackle of severed circuits, the large drone slammed into the remnants of Atikon's former prison.

Serge was standing with both hands out in front of him. His index fingers and thumbs were pressed against each other as well, forming the shape of a triangle. There was a stern look on his face.

The other machines that had ganged up on Serge's double now sped off to rid themselves of the real thing. It was an exercise in futility, however. Brilliant flashes of white, blue, and green filled the air as each of the drones was knocked back. Atikon blinked at the bright lights. When it was all over he saw no more drones anywhere in the vicinity. Instead, a hand and the smiling face it belonged to presented themselves.

"No!" shouted Atikon, making a move to knock the hand away. "I don't need you!"

Serge pulled his hand back, a hurt expression on his face.

"And where were you before?" his double questioned. "I could have been killed! You can't always let your enemy make the first move. Sometimes you have to be the one to take the initiative."

Serge let his gaze wander down to the floor.

"I'm not going back to the cage you locked me in for so long," Atikon snarled as he got to his feet. "I challenge you. Right here, right now. Fight to the finish. Winner takes control of this body."

Serge stared Atikon right in the eyes, matching his double's gaze in intensity. His resolve was just as strong as his polar opposite. Atikon then laughed as he saw Serge's jaw drop, figuring his opponent had lost his resolve. Serge merely pointed to something behind him. Not wanting to fall prey to a trick, Atikon slowly turned to where Serge was pointing, but also remained on guard for any attack the little goody-goody might pull.

Atikon caught a glimpse at what Serge had spied and immediately wished his opposite had been attempting to trick him. A giant metal humanoid walked toward the two, sparks in its eyes. In its left hand it held an enormous metal blade and it is right hand it wielded a shimmering shield.

"That sounds like an interesting proposal," the metal figure said, its voice the sound of gears grating upon one another. "And I accept. I no longer need you anyways. FATE is supreme!" It then ran right at the duo as electricity crackled in its raised blade.

* * *

A loud boom suddenly snapped the eight companions out of their reverie. The cocoon had not changed since it first formed but each and every one of them knew what they had heard. Something colossal was about to take place.

"Be careful, Serge..." whispered Schala.

* * *

The metallic figure slashed at both Atikon and Serge. Its strikes met nothing but air as the two nimbly dodged out of the way. A clicking and whirring sounded as the machine tracked the mortals' every movement.

"You are going down!" screamed Atikon, as he swung his swallow at the robot. Laughing, it merely parried the boy's attack with its own blade. It then sent a course of electricity through its sword and into its opponent's weapon. With a shout, Atikon dropped his weapon, his fingertips singed.

"I have you both right where I want you," said the mental image of FATE. It readied its sword to strike Atikon but a green blast rocketed into its hilt. The supercomputer angled its blade away but did not drop it.

"So the meek one finally fights," pointed out FATE. "Only when another is in danger, though."

"I can do that too!" voiced Atikon. He held his hands up to create an energy blast but met a metallic foot to his face before he could summon enough power. He brushed the helping hands off his shoulders, as he fought to clear the stars from his eyes.

Serge merely frowned and brought his hands up again to blast FATE. He let loose a barrage of white, green, and blue blasts. This time FATE was ready. It brought up its shield and analyzed the attacks. Flashing its barrier the same shades as the bolts that hit it, the effect was neutralized.

Atikon, not to be outdone, laughed at Serge. "Let me show you how a real pro gets it done." He raised his hands and threw black, red, and yellow bolts at the supercomputer. It again reacted in turn, the colors of its shield matching and dispersing the strength of the blasts.

"You cannot do anything against me," said FATE. "But I can do so much to you." The metal figure pointed its blade right between Serge and Atikon and let loose a current. Electricity soon took the form of a net, as it grew big enough to encircle the two of them. Both made to roll out of the way but the net could not be stopped. It sliced into and shocked them, bringing the two down to the ground in a heap.

FATE slowly walked over to the pair and surveyed its work. These mortals would no longer interfere with its plans. It was time to eliminate them once and for all. Dropping its sword and shield, the mechanized figure increased the size of its hands and brought them down on each of the two interlopers. Then it began to squeeze.

* * *

"What was that-hee?" asked Razzly.

"Vous felt that too?" responded Harle.

"That was totally not cool," said Doc. "Almost like a weight just fastened itself around my heart. Dude, I don't like the feel of this."

"Like Leena said, we need to have faith," Orlha reprimanded them. "Keep our heads held high. Serge will pull through." Despite her exterior smile the barmaid was quite terrified on the inside. And the others knew it.

* * *

Atikon could feel his bones being crushed underneath the strength of FATE's mechanized arms. The pain was almost unbearable. Wincing, he turned his head to see his counterpart suffering just the same.

"I told 't do anything..." Atikon huffed, air coming to his lungs in small gulps.

Serge just stared right at his double, eyes begging out for something.

"No..." Atikon wheezed. "I will...never...be a part...of you...again."

Serge merely kept his gaze fixed upon his other half.

"I'm...all I need...to be. I..." He winced as a rib snapped. "You can...offer me...nothing."

Serge's fingers twitched as he felt the life leaving them but he never looked away from Atikon.

"What?! What...do you...want from me...?"

Serge blinked once.

"I have...I have...nothing..." Atikon trailed off. He was not as strong as he led others to believe. He had everything he thought he wanted but that wasn't true. There was a big something in his life missing. Something true. Something meaningful. Something fulfilling. There was a hole in his being that was begging to be closed. He had just chose to ignore it up until now.

Despite the pressure and pain, an inviting smile found its way onto Serge's face.

"Y-you...really think...so?" Atikon questioned but he already knew the answer. "The power...is here. But the role...is not...yet filled."

Serge nodded.

"I...understand now," the double breathed. "This is...all wrong. The Arbiter...must be sought...together."

A single tear rolled down Serge's cheek.

"Let's do...it..." Atikon whispered. He then brushed the fingers of his right hand across the arm that had almost pulverized him. The arm shone yellow and loosened its grip somewhat. Atikon followed this up with a touch from his left hand and the metal burned red. "Together..." he conceded.

Serge followed Atikon's lead and grabbed the arm with his twitching left hand, spraying a jet of green across it. He felt the pressure decreasing and held on with his throbbing right hand. Blue flooded his vision.

"What are you...?" began FATE but it could only stare in shock at its now multicolored arms.

With a slight nod to Serge, Atikon latched on with both his hands. He then let out a scream. Within it was all the hatred, sorrow, and any negative feeling he had been the vessel for all these years. In one fell swoop Atikon let it all out as black flames coursed up FATE's form.

Serge mimicked his double's movements. He grabbed the arm and let out a silent scream of his own but it was no less fierce. It embodied his happiness, compassion, and all positive emotions he had previously kept to himself. White flew across the arm that had been previously squeezing the life from him a few seconds earlier.

"No...bzzt..." said FATE, as the surges met in the center and formed one giant conglomerate. The two halves of the whole had needed to communicate with one another. FATE had been used as that very circuit!

The shimmering prism spun around the supercomputer's form for a short while and then stopped. Spying its targets it took off toward Serge and Atikon. With a flash of light, the joining force hit both of them in the chest, freeing each from FATE's grasp.

Each boy vanished within the crystal flares but neither one was afraid. The two halves then danced around one another in some macabre ballet. Faster and faster they twirled until it was no longer possible to tell where one ended and the other began. In a clap of thunder the two parts formed into one.

* * *

The metallic cube violently shook, sending the adventurers sprawling. The floor they had been standing on a few seconds earlier no longer seemed stable. All looked around in confusion.

"Quick, we need to get out of here," Leena stated.

"My thoughts exactly," agreed Norris, as he pointed toward the crystalline cocoon. It had now begun to pulse with some sort of inner light. "I don't like the looks of that thing."

In unison the eight companions took to the air, aiming for the hole in the dome. For good or for bad, this structure had grown unsafe. And they had to get out as soon as possible.

* * *

A hand was the first body part to touch the floor, followed by a knee, and then a foot. The new person wore the same black shirt, brown and silver vest, and blue shorts as its predecessors had donned, but the clothes now seemed different. It was almost as if they...shimmered.

"FATE," Serge boomed. "Your time is up."

"I do not think so," the machine responded. "It is you who is at the end of your line." The machine picked up its blade and swung it toward Serge with all its might. Smiling, Serge let the assault come. Just before his body was cleaved in half, the villager moved his arms together in a blur of motion. With a clap, he caught the sword mere inches from his face, firmly trapping it between his two hands.

FATE began to charge up its energy through the sword in an attempt to shock Serge into submission. He beat the machine to the punch though, as he filled the air with his own power. Yellow, red, green, blue, black, and white currents zagged across the blade. Before FATE could let go of the sword, all the elements slammed into the robot with a giant bang, sending it flying.

"This cannot be my fate," the machine remarked, still not processing what was happening. "I judge you humans incapable of controlling your own destinies."

"Judge?" asked Serge as he deliberately made his way over to the mechanized form. "You don't have the power to judge anything. You're just a weak, scared, and manipulative little virus."

"I am innocent of all charges you bring against me," FATE countered. "Order must be preserved at the cost of everything else."

"That is not your call to make," Serge said, drawing his swallow. "That is humanity's call."

Its survival protocol beginning to kick in, FATE slowly backed away from this new and improved lifeform. Before it could get very far, it found its feet firmly rooted into the floor. Tugging on them accomplished nothing, though. FATE could not move.

"FATE, the supercomputer and once protector of humanity and Chronopolis," Serge began, "I am the Arbiter of Time. I have been charged with keeping the balance by the gods themselves. Judgment is mine alone to give. Cast in the name of Trutin, I find you..."

"Nooooo!!!" FATE hollered.

"...Guilty," finished Serge as a huge aura erupted out of his swallow. It struck FATE with the weight of the gods themselves behind it. Crying out, the supercomputer dissolved into the air itself. The struggle between man and machine ceased just as soon as it began. FATE was no more.

Looking around, Serge knew that he was not quite done, however. There was still more he had to do. He took off into the darkness to wake up the body that was now his again.

**By: Daredevil3181**


	26. The Threat is Over, Ending Part 7

Serge has to face the hardest decision he has ever made here. On one hand he needs to complete his objectives but what will be the price? It always seems that we have to lose something we really love in order to ensure the safety and protection of others. This is the final part of the ending, but there will be another installment in the form of an epilogue. As always, read, enjoy, and review.

* * *

Ending Part 7

Leena and the others had raced toward the top of the dome but it seemed as if they couldn't move fast enough. The cocoon was shaking violently and the light was flaring all across its surface. A cracking sound suddenly burst all around them.

"I don't think we can make it!" cried Miki.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" coaxed Orlha.

Pings sounded off one by one as the cocoon began to fire its outer portion off. The shrapnel narrowly missed the companions as the shards embedded themselves into the dome. This was going to be close.

"Ze light iz almost 'ere," remarked Harle.

"Just a little..." said Schala but her words were interrupted by a massive explosion. This was the big one. The cocoon was no more but the blast would surely engulf the travelers.

Everyone shielded themselves from what would surely be the end. Eyes were shut tight and screams were frozen in their throats. They waited for the end. And waited. And waited some more. When no one felt anything else around them, everyone opened their eyes.

They were all sitting on a giant rock, a good distance away from the remains of the cube. To the immediate right of them was the portal, now closer than ever. Some of the sharper eyes could have sworn they could even see into a room of Chronopolis, but that notion was absurd.

"How did we get out of there?" Norris wondered.

"I got us out," Leena huffed. She was obviously exhausted. Her muscles twitched and her form still shimmered in the aftermath of the power she had used.

"Teleportation of yourself and others," surmised Schala. "I'm impressed."

Movement out of the corner of Doc's eye brought the physician on the defensive. There was something moving toward them. And fast.

"Incoming!" he shouted, warning the others.

Everyone readied themselves for the ensuing impact. The fragment raced toward them on a collision course. Right before contact the form slowed down. It wasn't a piece of the cocoon at all, the companions realized. It was a person.

"Serge!" yelled Orlha as she placed her arms around the boy in a crushing bear hug. "We've missed you so much."

"I know, Orlha," Serge responded with even tones. Leena gazed upon the one she had worked so hard to save. She wanted to say so much to him but all she could do was crack a slight smile.

"You've done it-hee!" shouted Razzly, overcome with joy. "We knew you would!"

A spark showed itself off in the distance. It was the same woman that had appeared to Serge within his mind. Trutin said she would come again once he was whole. And she had kept her word.

The Arbiter of Time nodded to her. Trutin then pointed toward the portal. Serge understood what had to be done.

"It's great to see you all again," Serge said. "But there's still one more thing that needs to be done." He then raced toward the portal, focusing on something that had appeared on the other side.

* * *

Lynx looked around the room until he found what he was searching for. There, next to FATE's shell, was a portal to the other dimension. He could even faintly see Leena and the others in it. Oh well, he knew that it didn't matter, for he had won anyway.

"What is taking so long?" Lynx asked impatiently. "FATE should be ready by now. It better hurry up before the rest of the group gets here. Hopefully, the robots stopped them. What is going on over there?"

Lynx peered into the portal again to check on things. As he looked through the portal a hand came out, grabbed him, and pulled him through the rift.

* * *

"Get your hand off me!" the feline demi-human shouted. His protests were too little, too late, though. Looking around, Lynx realized he was once again in the place he had come to despise the most;: the veritable prison that was the space beyond reality.

"How dare you!" a voice shouted back at Lynx, anger flowing outward from it in waves. "You thought you could get away with turning the universe into your plaything. The lives of all meant nothing when compared to the nightmarish utopia you had planned. That's all about to change now. I'm sorry, but your manipulations will end here and now!"

The cat-man looked down at the face of the Arbiter of Time in shock. The demi-human had noticed bits of metal and other scrap pieces floating around but it never dawned on him as to their exact meaning. It was only when he glimpsed the shattered husk of the entity that he had worked so hard to revive did he finally realize a major problem was afoot.

"How did you...?" Lynx began, as his eyes wandered around his surroundings even more. There was Serge in front of him in full defiance and chunks of burned and desiccated metal swirling around. Seven adventurers stood behind the boy from Arni, each with a mixture of disgust and boldness etched on their faces. It was only when he saw the form of Leena in the back, her body still shimmering with a cascade of colors, that he began to finally understand what had happened.

"You!" the feline demi-human growled, as he sped off toward the village girl and Champion of the Gods. He snarled and swiped his claws at her. The seven companions tried to halt this onslaught but no one could move fast enough. Lynx became ecstatic as he would at least be able to take revenge upon the one who had ruined his plans. Leena did not flinch, though. She simply nodded her head once, as if responding to an unspoken instruction, and closed her eyes.

Lynx slammed into a prismatic barrier with bone-crunching force. Dazed, he scratched at the unwelcome separator but to no avail. He was unable to get through. In a haze of fury he wheeled back upon the small mob that was slowly closing in upon him.

"She was too weak...this shield could not have come from her!" Lynx cried out.

"You're right," responded Serge. "She didn't make the barrier. I did. I said I would put a stop to you and that wasn't a joke."

"You?!" Lynx chuckled. "The weakling who fell so easily into my trap? The son who could never be good enough for me? The mute who was too afraid to form his own words? Don't make me gag!"

Serge did not speak a word to the man who had once meant the most to him. He simply looked at Lynx with a sad and pained expression. The thought of what he must do next was hard to swallow but it had to be done.

"For far too long have I neglected my role as the Arbiter of Time," Serge explained. "And even when I did use the title to enter Chronopolis and defeat you before, I failed to understand what it really meant. The Frozen Flame was more than just a piece of Lavos. It was a gateway to a higher plane of existence, a window to the realm of the gods. Anyone who made contact with it was able to tap into that energy source and use it for his or her own desires, whether they were good or evil. They could only use a portion of that energy, though."

"The Frozen Flame is nothing more than a fragment of one of the most destructive forces of our time," Lynx sneered. "This 'gateway to the gods' is complete and utter nonsense. FATE has utilized this power source a number of times. It's only a living battery with limited reality warping properties. It may be the stuff of dreams to some but I find it quite boring. For one who seeks to become a supreme being in his own right the Frozen Flame becomes a severely limited tool."

"That is where you're wrong," Serge continued. "When the fragment of Lavos splintered off and touched the soil of our planet a startling reaction occurred. The struggle between those two opposing forces tapped into a realm which should never have been accessed. Balance between the two was perfect at that time, creating an ideal situation for one god in particular to ensure that this force was maintained. Trutin was able to insert a piece of her divine being into the artifact then. Hidden beneath the layers of shell fragments and dirt, this was the true power source of the Frozen Flame."

"And how did you come by all this information?" asked Lynx, skeptically. "Not even Atikon mentioned any of this and he was more powerful than you could ever hope to be."

Serge just laughed.

"More powerful than me? Please. We are one and the same now. He realized he needed me as much as I needed him. I had bottled up all my angers, doubts, and frustrations for far too long. You just aided in providing those feelings form and substance. But even when he thought he had blocked me out of the world, I still had some sway. Atikon had tapped into more power than I desired but in doing so he opened his own inner portal to become more receptive to messages from all over. Since he was not aware as to what was going on I just acted as a filter of sorts. I took what I needed to know, shielded it from him, and let him try to process the rest. That's why he never knew about your proposed meeting point or Guile's warning. He also missed out on the most important message of all: the one from Trutin."

"Lies!" screamed Lynx. "Your dark side was an improvement upon you! He had full control over you and knew everything you did! I made sure of that!"

"You're wrong," Serge sighed. "He was as flawed as I was, just in a different way. Whereas I had a problem in letting things out he had a problem in keeping things in. I merely found my niche and filled this gap. Trutin explained to me what my friends had planned and what I needed to do to help them carry it out. I took advantage of every opening I could to realize this vision. I couldn't let the wonder of free will be torn out of our hands when we had just freed ourselves from the oppressive yoke of FATE not too long ago. Trutin told me there were two things I had to do to fix the problem I helped create. First, I had to convince Atikon to join with me again and throw off the corrupting influence that you had sown. I've done that, thanks to my friends, the people who never stopped caring about me."

"And the second?" Lynx wondered.

"This," Serge replied, as prismatic power flooded into his hands. He slowly floated towards the cat-man. Lynx began to panic and started to retreat from this new force. Serge raised one of his hands into the air and shackles materialized around the feline's feet. Try as he might the demi-human could not move.

"What do you plan to do?" Lynx questioned, fear edging into his normally calm tone.

"I think that's pretty obvious," Serge answered. "I'm going to destroy you."

"But why?" whined the demi-human. "We could accomplish so much together. There's still time to take control of the power of FATE. Make this world an acceptable one and end the problems that stem from not enough control. Free will was not meant to be abused in the hands of mortals. It does not belong in our realm."

"You're an anomaly in this world and as long as you exist there's always the chance that you'll find another way to come back. You will never stop trying to force your twisted dreams on others. You aim to take away free will. I can't allow that."

Serge had now closed the distance between him and Lynx. In a frantic swipe, Lynx brought his arms around to try and wound the advancing threat. Without flinching, the Arbiter of Time caught the feline's claws and trapped them within his own hands. The cat-man could not break free from Serge's iron grip.

"I have finally come to terms with myself and I now know who I am," Serge proclaimed. "The true power of the Arbiter of Time comes to those who seek and strive for balance. I embrace this power. By Trutin's will and mine, you will be gone. So it begins."

Serge's hands glowed once more. The power was not limited to just his form, however. It seeped out of his fingers and into Lynx. As the spectral energy entered into the feline he reared back his head and screamed in agony. It was clear that this process was traumatic but it was not until the adventurers saw Lynx's feet begin vanishing into wisps of smoke did they realize what was taking place.

"You...cannot do...this to me!" Lynx said, each word a struggle to get out.

"It's the only way," Serge responded.

"No, there's always...an escape route," the feline huffed. His legs were now completely vanished and the prismatic glow had reached his waist.

"You care nothing for anyone other than yourself," Serge countered. Something was different about his tone, however. The thought of what he was doing to another living being, however evil Lynx may be, began to register itself in his head. The Arbiter's resolve had begun to waver.

"Stop...it...hurts...son..." Lynx whined. His voice began to sound different. The disintegrating glow was just below his chest but as everyone watched in amazement the demi-human's face shifted before their eyes. It lost its snout and the teeth retracted. Fur disappeared and was replaced with skin. Eyes that had been huge and mysterious now shrunk down to more normal proportions. Finally, the regal cat-man's hat fell off, revealing a mess of dark blue hair.

"D-dad...?" Serge asked, a visible look of shock on his face.

"Yes...my son..." Wazuki replied.

"I-I can't b-believe it's really you!" Serge stammered. "All this time..." The Arni villager lowered his arms back down to his sides. As he did this the torturous glow that had been ripping his target apart subsided. A cloud of smoke began to coalesce underneath the man's incomplete form.

"You have freed me from FATE's grasp, Serge," Wazuki smiled. "Now stop all this Arbiter nonsense. Let's go back to Arni. Your mom is still there and so is everyone else we care about. It'll take some time but with enough effort I believe we can be a family again."

"I don't know, Dad," Serge sighed. "I promised Trutin I would be her partner. The balance needs to be restored..."

"And it has been. Lynx is gone. There's nothing to worry about anymore. Aren't you happy to see me once again?"

"Yes, I am, but..."

"But what? Together we can create a new life. The power still courses through your veins." The smoke cloud now began to take on a more solid appearance, forming the outline of Wazuki's lower torso and legs.

"The power?" Serge wondered, almost in a daze. "Yes, I do still have it, from both Trutin and FATE. I have chosen my path, though, I can't..."

"Why do have to chose between one or the other, son?" Wazuki mused. "Why not combine the two? You could create your own paradise on our world. With you leading the people it would become a heaven. No wars, no strife, no hate..."

"Yes," Serge assented, dreamlike. "I could control them all and strive for a better tomorrow. I would be the ruler of my own nirvana."

"That is exactly why you have to come with me," Wazuki sneered. "Let us work together to rid this world of its uncertainty. Chaos does not suit this land. People do not know what they should do. They need us to guide them, as they have no capacity for choice."

On the word "choice" Serge's eyes opened wide.

"You're not my father!" he cried out and once again grabbed hold of the being's arms. "You're still Lynx!" With a sudden influx of power the cloud, which was almost entirely solid, dissipated out from underneath the feline trickster. With a snarl his face again transformed, becoming a mixture of Lynx and Wazuki.

"I could have given you everything!" Lynx hissed. "And yet you continue to defy me. Your father, your past, your complete family; they will never be yours again. And do you want to know why? Because you pushed me away!" The glow had now reached the bottom of the demi-human's chin.

"I have to do what's right," Serge said, his eyes growing heavy with water.

"A failure! That's what you'll always be! A...failure..." Lynx trailed off. The final surge of the spectral light pulsed around the feline's mouth. It had done its job. The threat of Lynx was no more.

"I'm sorry," Serge said, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, Dad. But I had to do it. Please forgive me."

"And I do, son," a voice whispered from behind the Arbiter of Time.

"Huh?" Serge wondered, as he turned to see where the words were coming from. Nothing became clear to the naked eye.

"I am not outside but rather within you," the voice continued.

Taking a steadying breath, Serge closed his eyes and became attuned to his father's presence. There was an abundant amount of love and forgiveness coming from this spirit. Even though the wisp had no true form, Serge could almost see Wazuki smiling at him.

"You've really done it," Wazuki laughed. "You've freed me from Lynx and given all living things a chance in determining their own destiny."

"But Dad...how...?" Serge asked.

"Lynx did take over a large portion of my mind, but there was still that part of me that loved you and would never let go. I wasn't as crafty as you were with Atikon so I could barely leak through. But I was there. Whether it be a small hand gesture or a chuckle at a stupid joke, I was still around if people knew how to look for me."

"There's so much I want to tell you," Serge said, talking quickly. "I've seen so much, met so many people..."

"I know," Wazuki interrupted his son. "I saw them through FATE's eyes. That's why I have to let you know that no matter what anyone tells you, two things will always remain true: you're my son and I couldn't be prouder of you." The spirit form of Serge's father began to disappear.

"Dad, I...want to tell you one more thing," Serge blurted out.

"And what is that?" asked the disappearing form.

"I love you," Serge said, with as much conviction as he could muster.

"I know, Serge," Wazuki said. "And I love you as well. Now and forever." And with that Wazuki disappeared. He was in another place now. The troubled man had finally been granted his rest.

Serge began crying hard. Turning away from the others, he floated over toward a nearby rock and let out a piercing wail. He soon found two lithe arms around him, holding him tight. Serge looked up and saw the girl that he had known for most of his life holding him close. There were no words said between them as Leena's mere presence consoled her dearest friend. Still sobbing, he rested his head on her shoulder.

**By: Daredevil3181 and Alanna82**


	27. Epilogue

Well, this is it as our story finally draws to a close. If you have a keen eye and memory you will also notice that this tale ends with a number of the same elements that actual happen when the real game ends. It was just our way of interpreting the events in Chrono Cross and explaining them a little better. In case you were wondering why Halre decided to be with the gods as their messenger, that was the final voter decision we had, and that was what the populace chose. All in all I think this story came out great and I want to thank each and every one of my writers.

TenkoStar17 - We've certainly grown closer over the past number of months we've known each other and think that's really a great thing. You are an extremely gifted writer and an even better editor. Even though you're a Nole and I'm a Cane I do believe we make a great team when we work together.

Alanna82 - It's with great honor and privilege that I can say I was your first GameFAQs friend. You are a very kind and generous person and that shows in everything you do. Sometimes you let things stress you out from time to time, but just try to relax and remember others are always there if you ever need to vent. Never stop gaming, as the community needs more girls.

Matt620 - Although I haven't talked with as much as the other writers that doesn't make you any less special. Your writing is extremely detailed and I hope you go far in this profession. Oftentimes you saved my behind when I hit writer's block or could not make a deadline and for that I am truly thankful. Keep your chin up in whatever you do and I'm sure it will come out just fine.

Vancewynd - Thanks for suggesting the name "Atikon" and commenting on other things about our story. Even though you weren't on the writing team for long, your ideas made a world of difference. Wherever you are, I hope you're doing well.

GameFAQs Readers - Without your continued support and votes this fanfic would have never happen. Your constant praise and critiques really helped shape the look and feel of this tale we told. I'm glad that you had as much fun reading this as we had writing it. And to all my supporters on the Chrono Cross Social Board, you might have another surprise in store in the near Readers - Thank you for your continued support and reviews (especially Paladin Dragoon). This site was daunting at first, but you accpeted my entry with open arms. If you ever have something to ask me don't hesitate to e-mail me, as I would be more than happy to offer feedback and comment on your own works as well.

Although the story ends here, please feel free to ask any questions you might have in the Review section. If it is anything not answered by the story or not clear enough and I get enough questions, I will add another chapter specifically dealing with that. Otherwise, just enjoy what is written and hopefully I will post again on this site in the future. Until we meet again.

Always I will remain,

Joseph Diamond (Daredevil3181)

* * *

Epilogue

How the next few moments played out was something no one could explain. There was this...dizzy feeling, and the stars themselves seemed to blur and dance. The next thing any of the heroes knew, they were in a field of wildflowers and tall grass, and the breeze flew elegantly, shifting delicate floral aromas and pollen through the air.

Serge was quiet, which didn't shock Leena, but she kept her arms wrapped around his chest as the young girl stood behind him. He turned to her and smiled, consoled by her presence. Leena knew that he had lost something; she could tell by the look in his eyes. She didn't want to impose; he would tell her when he was ready, and she would not rush him.

"And so, our battle comes to an end," Miki said, standing up as the wind shifted the ribbons of her costume and her long hair.

"The demon that would have been a god was put to rest, once again, by the hands of man," Orlha added.

"And demi-humans," Doc corrected his lifelong friend, which made Razzly smile with glee.

Schala gave out a loud, Kid-like laugh, and everyone was jarred to her attention. "I'm...proud...to have saved the world...and met you all," the Zealian noble said tearfully. She knew that it was almost time to say farewell to everyone. She prayed fervently for the sun to stop so that they could have this moment for as long as possible.

Leena felt the same way. She marveled at how far everyone had come. They were exhausted, and bore wounds and scars from that final battle. They were too fatigued to use magic, so all one could do was clean and bind wounds and wait for the body to heal itself. Norris and Orlha tended to each other, while Schala, tired but having the inexplicable energy of Kid, helped everyone else. As the lovely princess of Zeal took care of Leena's arm, the Champion let go of Serge, who sat down on the ground cross-legged; completely despondent and looking utterly alone.

"Serge, he..." Leena started.

"What happened was a big shock to him. He's coping remarkably well," Schala noted.

"I...I don't want him to cry."

"We don't know what happened to him. All I can say is that it must have been terrible. Give him a moment to grieve."

"I understand...Thank you, Schala."

"Congratulations, warriors!" A loud booming voice that was unmistakably the lord of all and nothing rang in everyone's ears. The sound of that voice made one's heart leap, and Leena stood up promptly to greet the being.

"Sir Trutin, I thank you for everything you have done. It was because of you that I..."

"Leena, there is no need for you to be so modest." Trutin rang out Harle's words before the battle. "It was you and truly you that saved this world. All of you." The god praised her and Leena found herself blushing. She was not used to such praise.

"We are all proud of you." A soft, friendly voice, forceful as Trutin but soft and kind, sang out over the crowd. Leena knew it belonged to the friendly and amiable Pallad. His voice seemed to fill Leena with strength, and as she felt herself being rejuvenated, the wounds she suffered healed, along with her companions' as well. The other six gods, an odd group of characters certainly, but powerful and wise, descended from the sky. As Leena watched, the gods opened portals, like they did back in their abode, and out came the rest of the heroes: the brave ones who dared Chronopolis. They noticed the looks on the faces of the Champion and her heroes, and that one look instantly told them that they were successful. FATE had been vanquished. Once again, the will of life beat the cold hard steel of a machine.

"It is done; the world is safe," Trutin declared. The younger members sat in awe while the older folks stood.

"As per our bet, the world and gods belong to the winners," Pyrika acknowledged. "We will continue to watch over this world."

"The world is yours now, children." Scyllor held out his sapphire rod and swept it over the crowd with an extravagant motion. He had a bad habit of being excessive, after all.

"Ha ha! You all did wonderful!" Ganta shouted cheerfully

"Yes, I thank you all for helping us...er..." Pallad started, but found himself stuttering a little.

"You can be honest, you oaf!" Kylin snapped back. "We made a mistake."

"Yes, yes," Mephos responded, coming closer to the children. "The people of this world have shown amazing resolve, especially you young ones. You must have been scared, but you were brave."

"I know one little brat who was scared," Glenn snickered under his breath. Marcy moved to stomp on his foot, but she didn't watch where she was going and crashed into Zoah. She muttered to herself but ignored her urges. This was a happy occasion, after all, so she should be happy, too.

"First, for Harle, I would like to ask you something," Trutin said. Harle came forward, curtseying a little to the brunette haired god that was the supreme being.

"Harle, because of your abilities and talents, I would make an offer of you. We need a messenger between ourselves. It is difficult for us, as gods, to reach each other..."

"That is because Pyrika and Scyllor are half-drunk most of the time," Kylin muttered under her breath, but every mortal present heard it in their minds. Leena couldn't help but chuckle. These were the gods, the beings that watched over the worlds. They were all powerful, but they drank, gambled, and constantly tried to get the better of each other.

"Despite this, they are better than FATE. Much better, for these gods... they allow us the freedom to live," Leena said to herself.

"Harle?" Trutin said. "The choice is yours to make. What would you like to do? Become an immortal messenger, or return to your world with your friends to live out the remainder of your days?"

"We are not on our world?" Riddel asked. Schala had felt that the air was a little thicker here than the world she remembered, but she hadn't pieced together that it was a new world.

"No, this is simply a...holding place, where we have placed you so we can have this talk without any interference from the hustle and bustle of your world," Pallad explained.

"I..." Harle sat in thought for a minute, then turned to Leena.

"Leena, w'at do vous t'ink I should do?"

"Harle...I cannot make this choice for you, but no matter what, I will support the choice you make, ma soeur."

"I t'ought you would zay zat. Monsieur Trutin, I 'ave decided. I will act as ze messenger of ze godz."

"Then so it shall be. You will come with the gods when they leave. So...get your affairs in order; it may be your last chance."

"T'ank you. Everyone, I am zorry, but I will not return with vous to ze world. I am going to stay 'ere, and maybe I can learn zomet'ing about mon family. Not knowing who I am is zomet'ing I hope to do away wit'. I t'ank you for ze adventure and ze good timez. I am proud of all of vous." Then, she turned to Leena.

"Leena, as I 'ave predicted and 'ave known, vous 'ave saved ze world. Pleaze, accept zis 'onor. I may be ze messenger of ze godz, but ze godz t'emselves bowed to vous. Vous are truly ze strongest woman in ze world. I will never forget, not even at ze dusk of eternity, zat you are ma soeur. I want to discover mon real family, but vous are ze family that I will always love ze most." The two women embraced, tears in their eyes. Leena wanted to say something, but found she just couldn't. So she hugged the woman closely, hugged like she wouldn't let go.

After an extended moment, the two women broke their embrace.

"All right, I am ready," Harle responded, and walked over to the gods.

"Now, there is one other thing I must say. As exciting as this has been, we cannot afford to have a major slipup like this again. I will need someone to watch the planets more closely. You all, with your strength, are easily the most capable, certainly infinitely more powerful and resourceful then any homunculus I could create. Decide amongst yourselves. Who will be the one to take on this important role?"

"I will." Serge spoke up almost immediately. Leena moved to stop him, but hesitated. She needed to hear him speak first.

"Madame Trutin, I..."

"You need not speak openly of such a thing, I know what happened," Trutin returned. Serge looked relieved that he didn't have to mention such a horrible thing, but Trutin spoke again.

"Unfortunately, Arbiter, I cannot allow you to do that. The role of Arbiter of Time is now yours, and you cannot be watching a whole group of planets when a specific one needs you more than any other." Serge seemed to accept the reasoning, and stood down.

Leena thought for a second. Should she? Should she travel the planes, watching over planets? It sounded extremely boring, but it was certainly necessary. She may have defeated FATE, but she didn't do it alone; she couldn't dream of tackling something like that by herself.

It was Schala who stepped forward.

"As one who has walked the darkness between worlds, I will say that it is not pleasant. I could not recommend anyone, regardless of their strength, to undergo the hell between worlds. I have been there once before, and so, I will go there again. Besides, both Kid and Schala have lost everything. Zeal no longer exists and Kid's family perished long ago. We were both alone, and now, Schala has Kid and vice versa. We won't be alone between the worlds, so I, Schala "Kid" Zeal, will go."

"Schala, are you sure?" Orlha asked.

"You're not feeling delirious from the battle?" Norris put in.

"No, Commander," Schala returned. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Of course I will miss you, but I could never forget the moments we had. I consider myself blessed for this privilege of saving worlds. It's a great and wonderful duty to save and protect one world, and now, I want to save many."

"Then the decision is made. Leena, I must ask that you surrender your power unto her," Trutin commanded kindly.

"Aye," Leena acknowledged. One of the things she heard people say was that power corrupts. She didn't want to go back to the world with this power; it would almost assuredly be misused, even if she was sure she wouldn't do it. She didn't want the power anyway, she needed it for Serge, but Serge was here. It had served its purpose. She rose up her hands and shut her eyes. Almost immediately she felt a rush, as if something was collecting into her hands. She kept her eyes shut and concentrated further, and about a minute later, she felt it leave her body. After that, she opened her eyes, and nothing appeared to have changed. Schala apparently had this power, but no one could tell by looking at her.

"I must not have appeared any different either."

"Now, it is time for you all to return to your world. I assure you, we will meet again someday. Although the meeting may not be this glamorous," Trutin responded.

"I'm looking forward to it, sir." Leena bowed.

"But, lo, we have an anomaly. This little Amazon princess is not in her right time." Trutin turned to Leah, who looked almost a bit afraid at the grand being, one she knew she could not fight.

"Um, what you-um, mean?" She asked.

"It means that you came from years and years ago. Space-time was destroyed and it sent you to our age, and now, we must send you back." With those words, Leah's eyes widened in fear.

"No-um! I-um was all alone then! I-um don't want to be like-um that," Leah pleaded, and Leena's heart was melting. Serge looked alone now, and Leena didn't want him to feel that way. It would not be right to condemn Leah to solitude. Even though Leena knew she didn't have her godlike powers anymore, she was about to step in on the cave girl's behalf when Draggy fluttered forth.

"Rarrr! Can I go with herrr?" Draggy asked. "I don't have a family eitherrrr."

"I suppose it would be fine," Pallad responded. "If she must go, she should have a friend. And I am sure there were dragons back then too. It is fine with me, so I suppose it would be alright." Pallad knew he was overstepping his bounds, but he too, believed that life was nothing unless there was one to share it with.

"Arbiter, you must send them back. Send them both. You can do that here. As for the rest of these mortals, I shall send you back to your world myself. You will wake up in your homes, and this experience at first will seem like nothing more then a dream. But you and I will know that it was real. The story may be outrageous and at times like an extravagant tale concocted by children, but you will know the truth." The gods started to wave their hands as Trutin finished speaking. One by one, the heroes vanished, glowing in an aura befitting their color before fading into space. In the end, only Leena remained as Serge took Draggy and Leah away. Then, she felt light, as if she was flying. Her vision went white and she felt like she was moving forward, but in her mind, she heard Trutin, the one god who depended on her, speak into her mind.

"Money has never warmed hearts. Fame is a sword one grips carefully, or he is cut irreparably. Even glory and honor fades to page and tome. In the end, there is only you, Leena. The world may never believe your tales, indeed, not many would believe such a fancy. But know this: even if the world forgets you, remember that were it not for your actions, the world would have suffered a fate worse then even annihilation. It may have been simple chance that brought you to this moment, but...never mind, I am not good with this."

When Leena awoke, she remembered it all, but she remembered Trutin's words mostly. And if she ever needed a physical reminder, she always had two things. One was Trutin's shifting colored ring, and the other, something infinitely more important, was Serge. He stayed in Arni for a time, although the word marriage was never spoken. Serge was never about pomp and ceremony, although he was able to tell her about his father. That thought made Leena think about marriage even less. After all, her father would not have been able to give her away.

But Serge could not stay in Arni for long. For the lack of a better term, Leena called Serge "the husband of the planet." He constantly told her that the term was "Arbiter of Time" but she enjoyed teasing him about it. She liked the way his face flushed when he corrected her. He had planned on leaving for a while, but postponed it time and time again, giving various excuses. However, Leena knew that he didn't want to leave her. So she had to keep him focused. She told him that his happiness mattered most to her, and before he could say anything else, she reminded him that she fought for the both of them: Serge and the world. He did not need to fight for Leena, but the world could not just take care of itself. After an entire night of arguing, Serge relented, and decided to carry out his duty.

On the day before he left, Serge received a visitor, Harle. After a tearful reunion between Leena and the jester, one that unfortunately, could not be very long, Harle handed a folded piece of paper to Serge.

"For vous, Monsieur," Harle said, before vanishing into thin air. Leena regretted that she didn't say good-bye in the way she wanted to, but Harle was a servant to the lord of all and nothing, not to mention the six wild ones that made up the other gods.

Serge opened the piece of paper and caught a whiff of a scented flower. It reminded him of the jasmine flower, but it was truly nothing like he, or Leena, ever smelled before. The script of the letter was a magnificent cursive, the slender strokes of a quill pen showed someone who definitely knew the art of calligraphy. He knew where it came from: it was not from Trutin, as she had a bad habit of grandiose movements such that a lettter would not suffice. Those drunks that were the six lesser gods could never make something so beautiful. It came from the princess beyond time.

_Thus the curtain closes on another tale._

_An eternity has passed, fleeting dreams fade into the distance..._

_All that is left now is my memories,_

_But I'm sure we'll meet again, someday you and I_

_Another place, another time although_

_You may not know who I am_

_Let us open the door to the great unknown across another reality_

_And live another today even when the story has been told. We'll meet each other again._

_Schala "Kid" Zeal_

Serge folded up the letter and handed it to Leena, along with a round seed. The seed was about half the size of Leena's fist.

"Plant it," he told her. "But it may not grow for a time." She accepted and gave him a kiss.

"I...will be gone for very long."

"I'm aware."

"It may be decades before I return, if I even return at all."

"I know."

"And yet..."

"Serge, I can't be selfish. I may be a champion, but I live on this world. It's bigger, and it needs you more than I do."

"You're strong, Leena. You'll make a man very lucky. I just..." But then he turned around and whispered softly to himself. Leena couldn't hear him, but he just wanted to hear the sound of his own voice saying the next small phrase.

"I just...wish...it could have been me," he said softly. And then, Serge, that boy with the bandana, walked away. And he was gone, gone like the wind.

'Even if I find someone else...' Leena thought to herself. 'Even if I mother a million children, I will still wait for you.'

* * *

"And that, my grandchildren, is my tale. 50 years have passed since then," an elderly woman read to a group of cross-legged young ones.

"Gran, that story's just pretend!" One of the girls shouted, standing up. She was always the rebellious one.

"Do you think so, Kayla? Do you want to see my proof?" Leena challenged. Her hair only had hints of red amidst the gray strands, but her eyes had the same fire as they did when she was that love-struck teenager. Kayla was her youngest daughter's only child, and was as wild and carefree as her mother.

"Okay Gran, let's see that ring!" Kayla folded her arms across her chest. Leena reached into the top of her dress and pulled out a silver chain. At the end of the chain, dangling down like a pendant, was a plain ring: no gems or finery adorned it. However, it was striking, as it glowed an ocean blue. Kalya still looked unimpressed, so Leena blew a cold breath onto the jewelry, and in amazement, the children watched as a bright green, and then, a fiery red played across the ring's surface. Kayla said nothing, obviously humbled.

"Hey, Mom!" A voice called into the house. The children all exited quickly, nearly piling on top of each other as in came Leena's oldest child, and her only son. He was special among her children, for he was not her husband's child. She gave birth to him before she met the man she married. From the day he was born, Leena swore that she saw Serge staring back at her whenever she looked at him, but she assured herself that she was probably just looking for something she could not have.

"Yes?"

"Mom...I...it's hard to say this, but, do you know that man Serge you told me about?"

"I'm not senile, of course I do!" Leena snapped a little. She had been impatient whenever anyone other than herself mentioned Serge, and she knew she shouldn't have been.

"Well...Mom...He was on the mainland, and he...he was attacked, I'm...I'm sorry." Her son, for the first time in his life, babbled.

Leena felt crushed, but in truth, although she cried, she knew that she hadn't lost Serge now. She never had him in the first place. Although she tried to tell herself that, and the old woman's daughters, four women that had all aged well, were comforting her, Leena could not keep herself from crying. She went to Serge's tree and sat in its shade. But that was when she noticed something. That tree had astounded everyone in the village of Arni, and Leena was no exception. One side of the tree was lush. It bloomed almost like clockwork. Its fruit was sweet and filling and the flowers were a pride and joy. Women from all over El Nido would pick a flower from the tree, and thrust it into the ocean while they made a wish. However, the other side was barren. Although the tree itself did not appear dead, nothing bloomed. It was as if waiting for the correct moment when the sun and cosmos were aligned and paying the correct homage. And now, this barren side of a tree sprouted a single blossom. An impressive shade of royal purple swirled out from the flower.

And after all these decades, one impressive, but still only one, flower bloomed on the side of the tree that had never bloomed before. Even though Leena could never explain it, she knew now that Serge was truly gone.

* * *

Far away, on a glorious beach where the sand was white as a snow capped mountain, stood a young woman in a dress. Her hair was blonde and tied back, and her blue eyes displayed both kindness and mischievousness at the same time. She looked out over the world with a bored expression over her face, but she immediately perked up when she sensed someone coming. From behind her, an old man, his gait assisted with a cane, walked up to her.

"Serge..." The woman spoke without looking at him. "You are no longer bound by your world. Here, you need not be in that form." As she spoke, her voice seemed to wrap around him like a song, removing wrinkles and replacing lost bone mass and cartilage. Features returned, gray gave path to color, and soon, the man identified as Serge was no longer old, but a teenager again, the way the woman remembered him. That was when she turned around and noticed him. His expression was kind and he smiled a little.

"It's been...so long, Schala," Serge said. "I've done and seen so much."

"I know. I've also viewed all the good you have done. It was also interesting to see how you handled that other danger so shortly after starting to travel the world. But still, after all this time, I've missed you dearly. Absence makes the heart grow fonder." When Schala said heart, Serge paused.

"Something the matter?"

"It's just...well...I'm not sure how to say this, but I...I know I belong here, but I..."

"We belong here. Even with Kid and Schala together as one, this world can be lonely when there is no other body. The gods never stay for too long, as they have their own affairs. It's just you and me, on this beach at eternity's shores."

"That's...not what I meant. I mean, you and I here together. I...I don't want to be blunt, but I know you love me."

"I don't hide such things," Schala affirmed. "It would be foolish otherwise."

"But I...I don't know how else to feel. I've..."

"I know what you meant. Although it's not the same, there are others that are important too."

"You may have seen what happened, but I'll speak anyway. I want to be with the world, to heal its eternal pains."

"As the Arbiter should." Schala sat on the sand and hugged her knees to her chest. Serge threw the cane into the ocean and plopped down next to her.

"But I...Before all this happened, when I was stuck in the body of Lynx, Harle asked me a question before she vanished. Do you know what that was?"

"Of course not."

"Harle asked me if I could choose between the world or a woman, which would I choose."

"A question with daggers underneath any answer. Even indecisiveness would be a flaw."

"I made that choice a long time ago in that world, but it was a brief twinkling here. In that world, I chose to take the world over a woman."

"The woman chose the world too, you know." Schala saw tears welling in Serge's eyes.

"There isn't some magic word that stops a pain; even separate worlds can't heal what I did. I made the wrong choice, and I regretted it every day. A half century of regret."

"Serge, take comfort in what you did."

"It pales in comparison to one woman," Serge responded. Schala nodded. She wasn't experiencing what he was, but she knew what was wrong.

"Where does it hurt?" Schala asked. Serge patted his chest.

"In my mind, I knew what I did was right, but the second mind, the heart, the governor of all things that reason forgets, screamed at me for so long." Schala pressed herself close to Serge.

"I don't want to see you in pain, and you know that she does not either," Schala said. "And so, we will be here, together. It won't be anything more than that. We respect that same woman and each other far too much for us to romance behind her back. But, I will be here, with you, and we have an eternity here. I will take your pain into myself. It sounds selfish, but I would rather be the one with heartsickness rather than you."

Smiling, Serge looked into the eyes of the lively princess. "I knew you would understand. I will never forget, but the future is still unwritten. Time has a habit of healing almost any wound."

"And we have all eternity," spoke Schala. She extended her hand to the Arbiter and he grasped it within his own. Although the bond these two shared was not some flittering romance, the platonic feelings were still there. As the two walked along the coast, seven pairs of eyes looked upon this scene and knew they had nothing to fear. The fabric of this reality was in good hands, from now until the end of time.

**By: Matt620**


End file.
